10 NFL Combine Participants Dallas Cowboys Fans Should Know
The first on-field drills of the NFL Scouting Combine begin on Friday, March 3. Over the past few years, the Dallas Cowboys have become a team that values the athletic testing more than most. In 2016, they assembled one of the most athletic drafts in the league.
With the Cowboys having needs on the defensive line, secondary and in their receiving unit, here are 10 players to keep an eye on during the combine.
DE Takkarist McKinley
1 of 10
It's no secret that the Cowboys have a major need at defensive end. In fact, it may be their biggest need. During the NFL Scouting Combine, Dallas will likely be searching for a new defensive end, probably in the first few rounds, as that's where the depth lies in this class.
Specifically, the Cowboys will be looking for a right defensive end, as their roster is loaded with left defensive ends and with players who win inside. Their only true right defensive end is Randy Gregory, but he is suspended for the entire 2017 season.
What does Dallas look for in their right defensive ends? Defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli values first-step explosiveness paired with a non-stop motor, so it only makes sense that UCLA's Takkarist McKinley is a player the team will keep their eye on throughout the process. McKinley plays with a tenacity that constantly keeps him involved in the action. He's got the speed, power, and natural dynamism to be a right defensive end in the NFL.
However, Dallas may be in an awkward spot, potentially rooting against McKinley from shining during the combine. McKinley tweeted recently that he promises to "run a 4.4" in Indianapolis. If that happens, he could have a Vic Beasley-type rise in the draft process and become a top-10 selection. But he's still someone the Cowboys should keep their eyes on, as he fits the mold of their biggest need.
DE Carl Lawson
2 of 10
If McKinley isn't an option at pick No. 28 for Dallas, it's possible that the Cowboys may turn to a former Auburn Tigers edge-rusher: Carl Lawson. He's got the natural quickness and twitchiness the Cowboys desire, but does he have enough speed and bend to be a full-time right defensive end?
Lawson's 10-yard split should be fantastic, but teams will want to see how well Lawson does bending and changing directions. Is he as flexible around the edge as some of the other rushers in the draft? Does he test out as well in the explosiveness drills as the other top rushers? He's been sidelined a lot through injury, so the medical reports will be important.
Lawson fits the mold in terms of the big school, big production and first-step explosiveness the Cowboys covet. If he can test out well in some of the aforementioned drills, he could become a favorite in post-combine mocks for the Cowboys.
DE Charles Harris
3 of 10
The final potential first-round pass-rusher who needs to be watched during the combine is Missouri's Charles Harris. He's one of the younger defensive players in the draft but also one of the greenest. With a big combine, his name will be a fast-riser for teams needing that bendy edge-rusher.
Harris didn't start playing football until junior year of high school and is entering the NFL draft as a redshirt junior. He is listed at 6'3" and 235 pounds, a little under the weight the Cowboys would like to see their defensive ends. That lack of size often shows up on tape, as offensive tackles can handle him at times in the run game.
A former standout basketball player, Harris knows how to use his athleticism to his advantage. His ability to dip around the edge and get to the quarterback will have teams drooling. He also has a nasty spin move in his repertoire that he uses a little too often, but it is effective nonetheless.
In order for Harris to be considered a first-round pick or an option for Dallas, he will need an outstanding workout. He should thrive in the short-shuttle and change-of-direction drills. A good performance in the 40-yard dash, as well as in the broad and vertical jump, could skyrocket his draft stock post-combine. With the recent success of Markus Golden, Kony Ealy and Shane Ray, Harris is another player who could make a better pro than college player.
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
CB Adoree' Jackson
4 of 10
It's likely the Cowboys will need help at cornerback, with both Morris Claiborne and Brandon Carr scheduled to enter free agency just days after the NFL Scouting Combine. With only Orlando Scandrick and Anthony Brown on the roster, the Cowboys will carefully monitor all of the cornerbacks in Indianapolis, including former USC standout Adoree Jackson.
Jackson is one of the best athletes in this entire class, and that will show during the individual drills. But his biggest test of the week may come during the measurements. At USC, Jackson was listed at 5'11", weighing in at 185 pounds. But the Cowboys aren't so interested in a corner's height or weight but instead the arm length of the defender. With the team transitioning to more of a Seattle Seahawks-style defense, Dallas is looking for defenders with arm lengths that meet or exceed 32".
Both Byron Jones and Anthony Brown have come close to or exceeded this ideal length, so it makes sense that the Cowboys would target those type of defensive backs again in the 2017 draft. If Jackson's arms measure around 32", he could make sense for the team in the second round.
As for his fit with Dallas, he could contribute in multiple ways as an outside corner, punt and kick returner and as a gadget player on offense. He's raw in terms of his experience at cornerback, but all of the tools are there for a potential steal in the second round. He's going to shine in the individual drills, and if he can measure up to the team's physical requirements, he's a name to consider at pick No. 60.
SS Obi Melifonwu
5 of 10
Just like Jackson, Connecticut's Obi Melifonwu could be a player the Cowboys draft in the second round to fill one of their needs in the secondary. Claiborne and Carr have already been mentioned as players who could leave in free agency, but both Barry Church and J.J. Wilcox are scheduled to become free agents as well.
In terms of size, Melifonwu hits all the desired measurables for a Cowboys defensive back. At the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama, he measured in at 6'4", 219 pounds with 32 ⅝-inch arms. He's got the elite size and should test well in Indianapolis. He's an explosive athlete who should jump extremely well, and he should run in the low 4.5s, even at his massive size.
But what makes Melifonwu a potential target for Dallas is that he has the feet and the hips to survive outside as a cornerback in the Cowboys Cover 2 defense. His ability to sink his hips and cover much smaller receivers make him a special talent. Throughout the draft process, the comparison to Seattle's Kam Chancellor will be made frequently. However, his game resembles more of former Seahawk Brandon Browner, who thrived as the second corner opposite Richard Sherman.
Much like former Connecticut Husky Byron Jones, Melifonwu has all the physical characteristics the team is searching for and the intelligence the team wants from defensive backs. He can be passive at times and doesn't always play to his size. But with this much talent and positional flexibility, he's another player the Cowboys will certainly keep their eyes on throughout the draft process. Expect him to shine during the combine.
WR JuJu Smith-Schuster
6 of 10
Terrance Williams is likely going to leave the Cowboys via free agency, and that leaves a massive hole for the Cowboys to fill in the draft at receiver, specifically on the outside. In a loaded wide receiver class, USC's JuJu Smith-Schuster would make sense for Dallas in more ways than one.
Smith-Schuster hits all the boxes that the Cowboys look for when drafting a receiver. He was productive at a big school and at a young age (20). He also hits the size requirements the team looks for in a receiver. He was listed at 6'2", 220 pounds at USC and plays to that size.
There are a few reasons why Cowboys fans should be paying attention to him and his combine numbers. If Smith-Schuster can run in the mid 4.5s in the 40-yard dash, he will hit all of their thresholds at receiver. If he can run in the 4.5s for a 20-year old receiver who weighs 220 pounds, he will be a lock top-75 pick.
But more importantly, he fits the type of personality the Cowboys want. According to NFL.com's Lance Zierlein, a former USC assistant coach said of Smith-Shuster: "His passion and enthusiasm are second to none, and he absolutely loves football." If the Cowboys decide to select a receiver in the second round, Smith-Schuster is the ideal target. A solid combine from him will just cement that thought even more.
WR Chris Godwin
7 of 10
With the Cowboys having many of their top needs on defense, it wouldn't be surprising if they ignored receiver in the first few rounds of the draft. If the team does decide to look in the middle rounds of the draft for a possible replacement for either Williams or Brice Butler, former Penn State receiver Chris Godwin could be a target.
Godwin's biggest test will be his size. NFL.com has him listed at 5'11", while Penn State's team site lists him at 6'1". However, neither height hits the Cowboys' threshold of 6'2" for an outside receiver. But what makes Godwin a target in the middle rounds is that he does two things well: makes contested catches down the field and blocks.
He doesn't have elite speed, but his ability to win the ball in the air, specifically down the sideline, is a trait the Cowboys will fall in love with. He's not the quickest or most precise route-runner in this class, but he thrives once the ball leaves the quarterback's hands. His biggest strength may be his ability to block anyone anywhere on the field. He's one of the most fearless receivers in this entire class.
The Cowboys don't typically like to go outside of their thresholds at receiver, but with a solid performance in Indianapolis, Godwin could make for a nice arbitrage pick over some of those other second-round receivers. Godwin has the mental makeup and the physicality the Cowboys desire in their outside receivers. Keep his name in mind in the middle rounds of the draft.
DE Daeshon Hall
8 of 10
If the Cowboys miss out on their premier edge-rusher in the first few rounds, a player they could consider in the middle portions of the draft could be the pass-rusher opposite Myles Garrett: Texas A&M's Daeshon Hall.
At 6'5" and 265 pounds, Hall has the ideal size to play either defensive end spot for the Cowboys. He has outstanding length, with 34 ⅝-inch arms, and the natural bend to be an elite rusher. He's also got the motor and relentlessness to find a role on the Cowboys defense.
However, he just hasn't been able to put the tools together to be a productive rusher. He has little to no plan on each rush and can get bullied by a more experienced offensive lineman. His best rushes come from when he shoots inside an offensive lineman, and despite his size and athleticism, he rarely wins outside.
Hall will likely perform well in all of the testing drills, but his college tape will always be average at best. But if there's a coach in the league who could get Hall to become a productive edge-rusher in the NFL, it's Marinelli. Expect Hall to shine in all of the explosion drills. He should hear his name called in the third or fourth round.
DT Eddie Vanderdoes
9 of 10
With Terrell McClain scheduled to hit free agency in March, the Cowboys don't have a ton of depth at defensive tackle. But with their starters intact, it's possible the team waits until Day 3 of the NFL draft to add depth to the position. One of the more interesting names that fits the Cowboys' scheme is former UCLA defensive tackle Eddie Vanderdoes.
After the 2014 season, Vanderdoes was considered one of the top defensive lineman in the country. He has the size, speed and motor to dominate any type of offensive man. But after tearing his ACL in 2015, Vanderdoes hasn't been able to return to his same dominant self. His film in 2016 was underwhelming at best, as he looked out of shape and overweight. Any team that drafts him is going to hope they get the 2014 version instead of the 2016 player.
Vanderdoes can play either the 1- or 3-technique and his motor will endear him to defensive coordinator Marinelli. The combine will be vital for Vanderdoes, as he needs to prove that he still has the explosion and movement that made him such an outstanding player in 2014.
DE Al-Quadin Muhammad
10 of 10
In the late rounds of the draft, the Cowboys aren't afraid to take chances. In 2016, they drafted former Baylor basketball star Rico Gathers without ever seeing him play one snap of collegiate football. They aren't afraid of taking risks. If their board doesn't fall the way they would like it to and they don't select an edge-rusher earlier, a player who could fill that need is former Miami Hurricanes defensive end Al-Quadin Muhammad.
At 6'3" and 236 pounds, Muhammad has the length and explosion the Cowboys covet on their defensive line. However, he's been suspended for two of the past three seasons, making him a risk on and off the field. There's a lot to like about his game and his potential, but there's just not a lot of experience to back up those beliefs.
Muhammad's likely to fall into the latter rounds of the draft, and there's a chance that he falls out completely. But a strong combine could convince an NFL team to select him and stash him on the practice squad or at the end of the roster.
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
.png?w=480)
