Draft season is officially in full swing, with the 2024 NFL composite team ending in Indianapolis. The combine is also a great opportunity to see what type of players each team is looking for, as each team pores over the long list of players available in this year's draft.
For the Cowboys, one of the questions on everyone's mind is how player evaluations will change with Mike Zimmer taking over as the new defensive coordinator. Will McCray, the team's vice president of player personnel. de facto The conscript emperor was asked that very question in Indianapolis, and his answer was enlightening.
McCray specifically mentioned adding size twice in this interview, first saying, “This is a slightly different plan. We're looking for big, athletic football players.” . Afterwards, he said, “We're probably going to focus more on the big bodies inside to stop that. And we're always looking for linebackers.”
McCray's comments seem to suggest an internal focus on strengthening the middle of the defense in an effort to stop conceding goals. That's not surprising, as solid run defense has always been a key element for Zimmer throughout his career, and the veteran coach has called for bigger bodies at defensive tackle and linebacker to make that happen.
This should be music to Cowboys fans' ears, as run defense has been a consistent concern in Dan Quinn's three seasons as defensive coordinator. To be clear, Quinn still produced some top-level defense over those three years, but it was clear that Quinn wasn't as interested in stopping that run as Zimmer was.
In fact, McCray and the Cowboys have already taken steps toward improving their defense, drafting Madge Smith in the first round a year ago. Smith was a dominant run-staffer at Michigan, weighing over 330 pounds and primarily playing nose tackle. However, Smith dropped his weight to under 300 pounds during his rookie season and played the majority of his few snaps as a pass-rushing 3 technique. This attention from McCray and Zimmer could indicate that Smith will be asked to fill a backup role this offseason.
This draft includes a number of big, athletic players, making McCray's comments here even more useful. Could the Cowboys go for a big inside run stuff again in the first round? That may not be the case, but there are a lot of players to keep an eye on at this combine.
T'Vondre Sweat has been one of the most prominent members of the Texas Longhorns' defensive backs over the past few years. Sweat was one of the most dominant run defenders in college football last year, and his 366-pound frame was a big factor in that. Despite this, Sweat ran a 5.27 40-yard dash time at Indianapolis, which is a lot for a man his size.
Sweat isn't the only big man from Texas in this draft. Aggie man McKinley Jackson played at Texas A&M and has improved every year as a run stuffer. Compared to Sweat, Jackson is as small as Deuce Bone, weighing “only” 326 pounds. His time of 5.26 40 is not as impressive, relatively speaking, as Sweat's time, but it still reflects solid athleticism befitting his big frame.
McCray's comment about looking for a linebacker also rings true, as Zimmer has typically worked with linebackers in the 240- to 250-pound range. There are several prospects that fit that criteria, including North Carolina State's Peyton Wilson, Michigan's Junior Colson and Texas' Jaylan Ford.
The Cowboys reportedly held a formal press conference with Colson as well as Sweat and Jackson at the combine. They also conducted informal interviews with Ford Motor Company.
It's safe to say the Cowboys are doing their due diligence when it comes to run defense, and their draft priorities could change to reflect what Coach Zimmer wants from his players. The Cowboys already have a lot of talent on this defensive front, but it looks like they're now trying to supplement all that talent with some good old-fashioned beef.
