Yesterday we brought you five offensive players that Cowboys fans should keep an eye on during this week’s NFL Scouting Combine.
Today we’re going to bring you five more players to watch, only this time we’ll take a look at the defensive side of the ball:
Nakobe Dean, LB, Georgia
Dean was one of the better players on a Georgia defense that was stacked with future NFL talent.
Like a lot of modern day linebackers, Dean is a little bit smaller (6’0, 225) but he has fantastic instincts, and while he won’t necessarily display jaw-dropping athletic testing in Indianapolis, he has the athleticism to beat ball carriers to the outside.
In a league with a number of linebackers who have the athletic traits to be special, but don’t necessarily have the football IQ, Dean stands out as a player who is consistently one step ahead of everyone on the field.
Dean is expected to be a first round pick, and could be in play for the Cowboys at pick 24.
Kyler Gordon, CB, Washington
Gordon is likely to be the player generating the most buzz in Indianapolis this week with his athletic testing. The speed, explosiveness, and fluidity will be on full display. Expect exceptional numbers from Gordon in the 40 and vertical.
A lot of the public perception the last few months was that Gordon was more of a day 2 player, but people in league circles believe he’ll absolutely be in consideration for teams in the first round. There are even some around the league who think he could be an All-Pro type of player by his third season. That would be an intriguing option to pair with Trevon Diggs.
Gordon is a guy who is still a bit raw and growing as a player, but he isn’t Kevin King, who was another super athletic, but very raw corner from Washington. Gordon is further along in his development, and projects as a much better player at the next level.
Dax Hill, S, Michigan
Hill is a very well-rounded safety with plus athleticism, and strong cover skills. He could play center field as a free safety, or take reps in the nickel.
At 6’0 and almost 200 pounds, Hill ran a laser-time 4.34 40-yard dash at Nike The Opening DFW as a high school senior. That’s the type of size and speed combo that teams covet when looking for a ball hawk to roam the open field.
Hill was Academic All-Big 10 in 2020, and his brother Justice Hill was a fourth round pick of the Ravens in 2019.
With Dallas’ future at safety uncertain, Hill is a nice, flexible piece who could help fill out the Cowboys’ burgeoning talent in the secondary.
Jermaine Johnson II, EDGE, Florida State
Johnson impressed the Cowboys (and a lot of other teams) with his performance at the Senior Bowl.
Once the top JuCo recruit in the country, Johnson initially transferred to Georgia, but a log-jam of NFL talent led him to transfer again to play his final season at Florida State.
Johnson flourished for the Seminoles, picking up 12 sacks and 18 tackles for loss as a senior. Johnson measured at 6’4, 259 pounds at the Senior Bowl, with over 34-inch arms. That’s the exact type of length the Cowboys covet in an edge rusher.
With Johnson’s length, flexibility around the edge, and the impressive power in his hands, it’s conceivable that he could be in consideration for the Cowboys at pick 24, especially if they decide to move on from DeMarcus Lawrence.
Trent McDuffie, CB, Washington
This is the second Washington corner on the list, but McDuffie is a different type of player from Kyler Gordon.
McDuffie is a good athlete, but not quite to the jaw-dropping extent of Gordon. McDuffie is much more polished, and has an exceedingly high floor at the next level. If you’re looking for a good, steady, plug-and-play, pro-ready cornerback, than Trent McDuffie is all you could ever want.
There’s not a lot of ball production over his three-year career with the Huskies (2 interceptions, 8 passes defended) but that’s mainly because he did such a good job in coverage that teams didn’t challenge him very much.
McDuffie might come in a little shorter than corners Dan Quinn has typically used (5’10½ range), but I’m told the height and length aren’t issues for the Cowboys, and that they think highly of him.
McDuffie might be gone by the time the Cowboys pick, but if he’s there at 24, he could be an intriguing option for them.
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