FRISCO, TEXAS — Eight Dallas Cowboys draft picks are at the very beginning of their NFL careers as they head to The Star this weekend to officially sign their rookie contracts and participate in rookie minicamp.
Coming in as a rookie brings a lot of excitement and high expectations. Especially with the Cowboys' current rookie class, immediate contributions from most of their draft picks will be needed.
in coach's corner, we reached out to each of the draft candidates' college position coaches to learn more about their development on and off the field in college, their fit in Dallas, how they matched up with their college years, and what they need to work on. I looked into it in detail. Before you even touch an NFL field.
Next up is Auburn defensive tackle Justin Rodgers. We spoke with Auburn defensive tackle coach Bontrell King-Williams about these topics.
Q: What did you notice from his work ethic on the field from the moment he arrived at Auburn from Kentucky?
A: In Justin's case, what he brings to our program is instant credibility. He's done it in this league (SEC). He was a transfer from Kentucky and was very productive. Similarly, I told him that just because you accomplished it in this league, you haven't accomplished it yet at Auburn. He had to fight to get a starting role and significant snaps, but in the end that's what he did. He was also a good mentor to our young players.
Q: What do you think he improved the most during his time at Auburn?
A: I think he understands that he's a pass rusher and wasn't trying to do anything outside of his body. Because he's a big guy, he has to set everything up with power and not try to do all the cross chops and stuff. I think that was one of the things he focused on, and the other thing was being a leader. Become a leader that everyone admires and follows through your actions. I feel like he's done that, he's grown quite a bit in the year he's had with us.
Q: How important was his run game ability and how he was able to plug the holes for you guys?
A: Yeah, that was his strongest suit. That's what he did best. You attack Georgia, you attack Alabama, you attack Arkansas, you attack teams that tried to run the ball against us and we had a lot of success defensively because of him. It was essential for us. It's very rare for one player to be able to block him one-on-one, so they have to do different things offensively to game plan around him. It was great to have him there especially for that.
Q: Especially at the defensive tackle position, you need to combine technique and athleticism with your wide size in the final stages of your career. Do you think he had the best marriage of technique and athleticism?
A: I feel there is still room for improvement in terms of his athletic ability. When we got him, his technique was pretty solid from the jump. There were some things he had to tweak, but there were also things he had already done that we wanted him to do. I think from this piece that once he gets his body to where it needs to be, more specifically his weight, he could end up being a really good player for the Cowboys.
Q: You mentioned his pass rush earlier, do you think he has the ability to reach his ceiling?
A: He's the type of guy who pushes the pocket. Once he does something like that, it's pretty hard to stop him. One of the things that started to get difficult for him was when he started moving from side to side and his feet stopped going north. Knowing what kind of pass rusher he is and he just sticks with it, that doesn't mean he can't be sexy sometimes – as long as it is sometimes. He still has a way to make it happen. I think he's going to grow in that area because it made sense for him to work on it. I can’t wait to see what they do with him.
Q: What is his personality and mentality like off the field?
A: Justin is a quiet guy. He is a quiet and friendly person. He enjoys being with his teammates and building camaraderie on his team. He's a really cool guy off the field. He's one of those guys when you need a D-tackle, you want him to be a gentle giant off the field, but you want him to flip that switch on the field. He can do that. He's different on the field, but off the field he's as easy to get along with as anyone.
Q: Was he primarily 1-Tech for you guys?
A: Yes, mainly 1-Tech, some zero. We've done some things that make him his 3-technique, but he's primarily a 1-technique, 0-technique run stuffer. That's what he does best.
Q: What do you think he's still working on to make the jump to the NFL?
A: The biggest thing is probably his body. I think what his career is going to be is whether he can control his weight and maintain a good weight and move the way everyone knows he can. If he does that and watches his weight, he'll be the kind of guy you'll hear about for years to come.
