Priority Undrafted Free Agent Wishlist

Isaiah Moore of NC State is high on my wishlist. As the draft concludes, the race to grab talent continues.

The draft might be over, but the chance to get better as a team is still ongoing. Perhaps the most competitive part of the draft has just started. Teams are now scurrying the phones trying to offer the players that went Undrafted. For some players, they would rather go undrafted than be drafted in the seventh round. Why?

• They decide out of their offers, which team would fit them the best.
• They also get to negotiate contracts as it becomes a bidding war.
• Players also capitalize on the relationships that they had formed during scouts times on campuses, meetings at combine or shrine game and the combine.

Who are guys that are on my wish list? At QB, Tyson Bagent from Shepard. At running back, Keaton Mitchell ESU, Deneric Prince Tulsa, Tayvion Thomas Utah and Mohamed Ibrahim Minnesota. At WR, Jared Wayne Pitt, Bryce Ford-Wheaton West Virginia, Malik Knowles Kansas State and Xavier Gipson SFA. At Tight End, Blake Whitehart WF and Leonard Taylor of Cincinnati. At guard, Jaxson Kirkland Washington, Emil Ekiyor Bama and Ilm Manning Hawaii.

On Defense, Eli Ricks went undrafted He would be one of my main priorities along with Isaiah Moore of NC State. Rejzohn Wright, the brother of Nashon Wright would be a good get so they have the chance to at least be together at the start of Rejzohn’s career. I also like Mekhi Garner LSU and Myles Brooks LA Tech. Safeties that they could bring in would be Brandon Joseph Notre Dame and Ronnie Hickman Ohio State. Other Linebackers that I like as UDFAs are Charlie Jones UNC and Isaiah Land Florida A&M. EDGE players that I like are Lonnie Phelps Kansas, Durrell Johnson Liberty and Ali Gaye LSU. If the Cowboys want another Nose to bring into camp, Jerrod Clark Coastal Carolina is the guy.

Deuce Vaughn Brings Big Value

Former Kansas State running back Deuce Vaughn runs through diving LSU defenders for a touchdown during the TaxAct Texas Bowl game between the Kansas State Wildcats and the LSU Tigers on Tuesday January 4th, 2022 at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX. (Photo by Nick Tre. Smith/Icon Sportswire)

The Story of this Draft Cycle for the Cowboys has just been made. Kansas City running back Deuce Vaughn was just drafted by the team. His father, Chris Vaughn is one of their scouts. The imagery from the team announcing to Chris that they were indeed drafting his son was one of the most iconic images in Cowboys draft history.

This pick wasn’t just a feel good story. Deuce Vaugn is a baller. He has adequate speed, playmaking ability, can make guys miss and is a receiving threat. Yes. He is small. Deuce is 5’5 and 180 pounds. But we all know that. What else? Tell me how rushed for over 1400 yards in each of the last two seasons. Tell me how he has 116 receptions and over 4800 yards from scrimmage. Tell me about him being a two time All American.

Will McClay mentioned on the draft show at the Combine that if a player was an outlier, he better have production. In his three years at Kansas State, Deuce rushed for 3604 yards 34 rushing Touchdowns, 1280 yards and 9 Touchdowns receiving. He played 37 games in his career and has been the leading force of that Kansas State’s Offense.

How does Vaughn fit? He would be a third down, change of pace back. Utilize his skills as a receiver. He would also be your space back. Get Vaughn in the open field and let work.

The Cowboys did their homework and thought that Vaughn would be the best option at running back this late in the draft. They wanted a physical runner and they got him. Just didn’t think it would be in a small package When you consider his contact balance, quick feet and elusiveness, Deuce Vaughn could prove to be a big value pick for the Cowboys.

Cowboys Add Depth with Viliami Fehoko

Viliami (Junior) Fehoko is a Defensive Lineman with a solid motor. What is his fit for the Cowboys?

With the 127th overall selection, the Cowboys selected Junior Fehoko of San Jose State. Junior is of no relation to Simi Fehoko, Cowboys Wide receiver. He is however, the cousin of Vita Vea of Tampa Bay. What does he bring to the table and how does he fit with the Cowboys?

Fehoko, 6’4 276 pounds, was very productive at San Jose State. He was their Defensive Player of the Year. For his career, he racked up 191 total tackles, 47 tackles for loss and 23 sacks. On film, he wasn’t a bully but did not get pushed around. He is a high effort guy. He would make plays across the field and in the backfield. He had 12 pass deflections as he was constantly working and trying to affect the pass. In the run game, he did a good job of holding his position. According to PFF, he was in the 99th percentile of run defending.

Athletically, Fehoko left me wanting to see more from him. I do not see a ton of upside from him in that regard. He repped 225 pounds 23 times at the Combine. From a power standpoint, he does use his hands well but his level of competition wasn’t the greatest. Would have loved to seen him drive more but he was a disruptor. Don’t have agility numbers for him. Part of your evaluation is projecting where he would win at the next level. Due to his lack of athletic traits, he depends on his technical abilities. The question is rather Dan Quinn, Aden Durde and Shariff Floyd can maximize his traits and make him a serviceable player.

The Cowboys plan for him would be similar to Chauncey Gholston. They want to bulk him up and put him at 3 Tech. That might be his best option, but doesn’t have explosion. At this point, Fehoko is a developmental project that has a good motor. He will be fourth on the depth chart at 3 Tech and their Fifth option.

With several players in this draft having some character issues, Fehoko is a hard worker and tough prospect. He approaches the game the right way and must have the qualities that Dan Quinn wants to add to his Defensive line room. How he develops is unknown but he is now a Dallas Cowboy.

Eric Scott: Cowboys Next Draft Diamond

Red shirt Senior Eric Scott could be a gem down the road. He has the skillset that Dan Quinn loves.

The Cowboys love their picks. If there is one thing that they like more than, it would be more picks. Cowboys didn’t want to keep watching guys that they liked drafted ahead of them. They decided to be proactive and have traded up in the draft to take a player that they like. Cowboys traded a fifth round pick next year (which might be a complimentary pick) to the Chiefs to move ahead to the top of the sixth round to draft Cornerback Eric Scott from Southern Mississippi.

He wasn’t a highly tauted prospect, but the deeper you look into the player, the more you like him. Scott went the Juco route coming out of Highschool. After a year at Butler Community College he went to Southern Mississippi. In the three years he started for Southern Miss, Scott had 78 tackles, 5 Interceptions, 12 pass deflections and 2 fumble recoveries.

Scott is 6’1 197 pounds and has an 80 inch wingspan. He broad jumped 11’1, and a vertical jump of 40 inches. He recorded either a 4.6 or a 4.7 at his Pro day, but that was when he suffered a quad injury. Sources say that he has ran a 4.42 forty yard dash during training. If this is the case he has the potential to be a steal.

During the phone call that teams make to their prospects letting them know they are new members to the team, Dan Quinn told Eric Scott that he was a”Strong, tough ass competitor.” You pair his athletic testing with a physical Corner and you have the recipe for success. If Scott can continue to work and develop under Al Harris and this staff, he could be a contributor to this team sooner than later.

Cowboys Day Three Preview

Sidy Sow, the Eastern Michigan Guard is the best athlete for the position. Could he be a Cowboys target on Day 3?

The Cowboys enter Day 3 of the NFL Draft in a good position. While they have reached on some of their selections, they have the opportunity to come away from the day with some players of value. There are several guys available that can help your team, and some of them can start for you. Let’s go through the top players left at each position.

As expected, this deep Running Back class has stretched to Day three. I would love for the Cowboys to come away with Roschon Johnson of Texas, but there are a number of guys that the could target. Israel Abinikanda of Pittsburgh, DeWayne McBride of UAB, Eric Gray of Oklahoma, Deuce Vaughn of Kansas State, who is the son of Cowboys scout Chris Vaughn. If we are going to stick with the 30 Visit trend of this draft, the name you need to circle is Zach Evans of Ole Miss. The best athlete from the group might be Israel Abinikanda per his Relative Athletic Score by Kent Platte. (@MattBomb)

Wide Receiver. If the Cowboys choose to add a other playmaker to his offense, there is a variety of players that could help. AT Perry of Wake Forest or Xavier Hutchinson of Iowa State are receivers that give you a mix of things while having good size. If the Cowboys want a solid route runner, they could go with Charlie Jones of Purdue. Tyler Scott of Cincinnati is a name to know because he can run routes and has elite speed. Another player with speed is Trey Palmer of Nebraska.

The position with the biggest names still available is Cornerback. Kelee Ringo of Georgia, Darius Rush of South Carolina, Kyu Blu Kelly of Stanford, and Clark Phillips (Nickel corner) of Utah are all still available. Ringo isn’t a perfect prospect but he has speed and size that would have been intriguing in the second round, yet the two time National Champion finds his name on the board here on Day three. Another name to consider would be Cory Trice of Purdue.

The most important position to look at going into Day three is Offensive Line. One would think that the Cowboys would be looking for a Guard. Your starting guard Connor McGovern left via free agency. What you have now is Chuma Edoga and Matt Faniok. Farniok is also your backup Center. Mike McCarthy mentioned that Josh Ball has been getting work at guard and tackle during the offseason. Cowboys could move Tyler Smith over but that move has a time limit since it will leave Tyron Smith at Left Tackle. Names to consider here would be draft darlings Chandler Zavala of NC State and Atonio Mafi of UCLA. Mafi was a 30 visit. Players like Jarrett Patterson of Notre Dame, Nick Saldiveri of Old Dominion and Braden Daniels of Utah have position flex at Tackle and guard. Don’t count out Sidy Sow of Eastern Michigan either as he was one of the most athletic guards at the combine and has great size at 6’5 and 323 pounds. Dawand Jones of Ohio State has been red flagged because of medicals. I do know the extent or the exact nature. He is a name to monitor throughout the day as he had some of the best film in this draft.

The Cowboys could also add another player along this Defensive Line. Some three Techs that are available are Adetomiwa Adebawore of Northwestern, Jaquelin Roy of LSU (30 visit) and Colby Wooden of Auburn. Adebawore was a Combine Standout and Senior Bowl guy. If they want an Edge defender, Clemson’s KJ Henry is available as well as Isaiah McGuire of Missouri. McGuire has over 100 tackles, 32 tackles for loss and 17.5 sacks for his career.

Will McClay will have to be in his bag today. Not only will there be three rounds of draft selections, but the Undrafted Free Agency period starts after that. Even though it is the last day of the Draft, the Cowboys still have a chance to get some players of value that can contribute to the team.

Cowboys Day Two Wrap-up

Agent 0, DeMarvion Overshown of Texas is a Cowboy. Cowboys couldn’t pass up on his versatility and athleticism.

Fresh off of Day One in the NFL draft where the Dallas Cowboys selected Mazi Smith from Michigan, they take Luke Schoonmaker, Tight End from Michigan as well. Schoonmaker was drafted with the 58th overall pick in a draft that was deep at Tight End. Cowboys were linked to several top Tight Ends, but chose to wait until day two to grab their guy.

Schoonmaker clearly fits the build of what Tight Ends the Cowboys like. He is 6’5 251 pounds. He moves well. He ran a 4.63 forty yard dash, a 1.59 10 Yard split, a 33.5 Vertical, a 10’7 broad jump and a 6.81 three cone. In a class that had two guys at the top that could do everything, Schoonmaker is probably the next best target for the Cowboys. They want guys who can block and have upside as pass catchers. Watching Schoonmaker’s tape, there were times where he was blocking Defensive Ends. He will come into Cowboys as their best blocking tight end. He will have to develop more as a pass catcher. Although he played a ton of snaps, until this last year, he only had 19 receptions. He will have to learn some of the details and route running nuances that allows him to excel.

Coming into the Draft, I had Luke Schoonmaker as my Tight End number 8 on my board. I preferred the athleticsm of Tucker Kraft, Zack Kuntz and Darnell Washington. Washington slid in the draft process due to medical res flags. It was clear though, that the Cowboys identified their guy. While he may have went a little earlier, he was not going to be available in the next round when they drafted. Now that he is on team, what is the fit? He will be a good blocker. He has the ability to line up all over the field and will keep on developing behind Jake Ferguson.

In the third round, the board was ripe for a LB to come off the board. Jack Campbell went in round one and the Cowboys saw Drew Sanders fly off the board as soon as the third round started. They chose not to trade up and give up capita to move up. They selected DeMarvion Overshown out of Texas. Overshown is a versatile Linebacker who can cover and rush the passer. Dan Quinn found his speed and versatility was too good to pass up, especially after missing out on Sanders.

Quinn drafted Deion Jones 52nd overall in 2016. Jones was a 6’1 222 pound Linebacker from LSU. He had 32 inch arms, ran a 4.59, broad jumped 10 feet and had a vertical jump of 33 inches. Jones was a fast LB who was quick to the ball. Quinn saw the same thing in Overshown, just at 6’4 and a better rusher. Overshown is 6’4 230 pounds, runs a 4.56 and had a broad jump of 10 feet 4 inches. Both were productive in college having racked up over 100 tackles, at least 10 tackles for loss and pass deflections.

As far as his Cowboys fit, he will immediately be an asset on special teams. He could potentially be a blitzer on passing downs while he develops behind the Cowboys LB corp. Overshown flys to the ball, but he can get misdirected in the running game and when teams try to conceal their intent. Overshown will have to learn his keys and be a student of the game. Overshown is a converted Safety and has went through different coaches and different roles. Hopefully Cowboys find a specific role for him and let him build off of that.

The one thing that is concerning is that the Cowboys might not have a day one starter so far in either one of their picks. Of course Mazi Smith will have the best opportunity and he will certainly get plenty of playing time. The additions made could point to next year’s free agency when players like Hankins and Vander Esch will removed from team. As far as the Tight end position, losing Dalton Schultz was definitely a factor. The other point is that the Cowboys brought in all these players and got to know them. They obviously fell in love with these guys. They are tough, physical and big players that makes your 53an roster better. Now it is on their coaching staff to develop them and get them to be championship caliber contributors.

NFL Draft Day Two: Cowboys Menu

Diyan Henley could be a Cowboys Draft Target on Day Two. The Washington State LB is ready to step into the NFL and be a playmaker.

Day one of the NFL draft came and went. We have been waiting for months for this day and it did not disappoint. As far as Cowboys targets go, not too many really came off the board that they had a chance to get: Bijan Robinson went to the Falcons at 8th, Darnell Wright went to the Bears at 10th, Broderick Jones went to the Steelers at 14th, Emmanuel Forbes went to the Commanders at 16th and then we had a run of Wide Receivers go that the Cowboys had little chance of coming up for. What players are left for them heading into Day two?

Ironically, the position that the Cowboys had been linked to coming into the Draft was Tight End. Everyone thought they were going to get one when they were on the clock. So much so, that the Buffalo Bills traded up just to grab one. When it time for them to draft, the Cowboys took their guy and kept it pushing. All of the Tight Ends that they were linked to are still on the board. The depth of this tight end class proved to be one of the reasons the Cowboys didn’t pull the trigger on one. Only one Tight End is off the board. Cowboys will have their pick of most of them if they want to go that route.

Another deep position, and one I was surprised that has not been touched yet- is offensive guards. None of the interior guys were selected on day one. Names like John Michael Schmitz, Steve Avila and OCyrus Torrence are still on the board. They could even go after Syracuse Tackle Matthew Bergeron if they wanted to.

A position of value is Corner back. One of the top Corners is available in Joey Porter Jr. He along with Keelee Ringo and Julius Brent who fit the long playmaking profile that they like could be targets on day two. Tyrique Stevenson, who they have met is also available.

Cowboys passed on Nolan Smith, but if they wanted Edge help, there are plenty of guys there that will help your team. Long athletic guys like BJ Ojulari, Keion White and Isaiah Foskey are on the board. Also are the versatile Edges Derrick Hall and Nick Hampton.

A sneaky need for the Cowboys is the LB position. With Anthony Barr and Luke Gifford gone, Cowboys could look to Drew Sanders, Trenton Simpson, Daiyan Henley or Henry To’OTo’O for depth and development.

Another position that the Cowboys could go after is running back. We have already seen two fly off the board in the top half of the first round. If there is a run of these backs the Cowboys might jump in and get there guy. The backs that they have been interested in however, are ones that might stretch to the end of day two or possible day three will all the talent that is still on the board. The Receiver position is also one to keep a watchful eye of. They like the bigger guys like Jalin Hyatt, Cedric Tillman and Jonathan Mingo. They could also target some of these smaller route runners like Josh Downs, Tank Dell and Tyler Scott or a player that can do multiple things and is highly explosive like Marvin Mims.

Looking at the Cowboys Menu might have you thinking that you are at BJ Brewhouse or the Cheesecake Factory as thick as it is. As fun as Day one was, the process is really just starting. May we find whoever the Cowboys do select to be as appealing as former day two selections like Trevon Diggs, Sam Williams, DeMarcus Lawrence, Osa Odighizuwa, Michael Gallup and Jourdan Lewis who are all starting or will play pivotal roles in 2023.

Cowboys Day One Draft Presser Notes

Mike McCarthy, pictured with Jerry Jones explaining why Mazi Smith was their selection in Round One of the NFL Draft. Photo Credit: Dallas Cowboys Media

As they always do, the Cowboys Brass met with the media at the end of Day one of the NFL Draft. The Cowboys stayed at their slot, the number 26th overall, and made their selection. The player they chose was Michigan Defensive Tackle Mazi Smith. What was said during the presser regarding Mazi Smith and what glimpse do we get of what might happen on Day two?

Head CoachMike McCarthy stated that Mazi Smith was highlighted as a guy that could help the entire team out. Jerry Jones, Owner and General Manager, said that this was a move being talked about for the past two years. They evaluated their team and knew that correcting their run defense was a huge need. McCarthy said that it was a focal point and that this move had to be done to not only stop the run, but get better on early downs.

President of Player Personnel Will McClay mentioned the vision of this team was to become bigger, stronger and faster. Mazi Smith adds to this. McClay also touched on the pass rushing upside of Mazi Smith. He believes that what he was at Michigan was just a preview of what the Big man can do. Jerry Jones said that it isn’t necessarily sacks that they will look at when evaluating him as a pass rusher, but more so the disruptions that could lead to big plays. If Mazi blows up the backfield and forces the QB to move to the outside, Micah is waiting on him. If the QB rushes his throw, he gives this secondary a chance to make plays on the ball. These disruptions could make a huge impact on the game.

Stephen Jones spoke of this team needing another run stopper to pair with Hankins. Now they can have two monsters in the middle and have prepared themselves for Hankins departure next year. Stephen also pointed to why they didn’t pull the trigger on drafting another position, namely a player on offense. He mentioned twice that the depth of certain positions played a factor in this decision. This gives us a glimpse into Day two. The two positions that have the most depth of quality talent going into Day two are Offensive line and Tight End. The Cowboys have a hole to fill at Left Guard and they lost Dalton Schultz in free agency as their number one Tight End. Look for at least one of these positions to be a target for the Cowboys when the draft continues.

Last year, Jerry made headlines as he showed the world the Cowboys draft board. Of course the Internet got a hold of it and did their best to decipher it. Jones jokingly said that he was barred after the incident. When urged to expound about where exactly Mazi Smith was on their board, Jerry had the best quote of the day. “Who gives a Shit? We got him!”

The Cowboys got the player that they wanted and made the most sense for them. Now they will rest up and start the process again tomorrow, retooling their board and trying to get more players that could help them accomplish their goals.

Full presser can be found here.

Mazi Smith Selected By Cowboys in First Round

Mazi Smith, Michigan Defensive Tackle was selected by the Cowboys. He will fit in nicely with Osa Odighizuwa and this pass rush.

With the 26th pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, the Dallas Cowboys select Mazi Smith, Defensive Tackle out of Michigan. He fits this scheme as a nose Tackle with some pass rush upside, but will immediately help in the run game.

Mazi Smith is 6’3, 337 pounds and was the third Best Defensive Lineman in my rankings. The Junior DT manned the middle for that Michigan Defense and was a solid run stopper for them. He finished his career with 88 total tackles, 39 Solo tackles and 6 Tackles for loss. According to PFF, he had 25 QB pressures, 32 Stops and an 81.3 run grade.

Smith is a strong Nose Tackle (34 Bench reps at Combine) that stops the run and plugs the middle of the Defense. He can create movement to get into back field and flashes the ability to give you some Pass. Rush help. Mazi uses his strength well, he understands leverage and how to move the man in front of him. He does a nice job of collapsing the pocket and has some technique to his game. He knows how to use his hands and will adjust his head to create natural torque that allows him to be more explosive.

As a playmaker, he is capable of two gapping or penetrating. As a pass rusher, he attacks half man to make his path to the QB easier. He can bull rush and is quick for a guy his size. Dan Quinn and Aden Durde could tap into his playmaking ability more, develop him so he maintains his consistency and make him a real weapon from the Nose position.

The best part about this selection is what it means for the entire Defense. The Cowboys attacked their weakness while making the strength stronger. Last season, the Cowboys were on track to have one of the best pass rushing units in NFL history. With such an advantage on passing downs, teams started running the ball on them. Teams that established the run had greater success against this Defense when it was at full staff. The Cowboys Defense finished the season ranked 22nd in rushing yards and 27th in rushing attempts. Teams playing from behind or in close games should not be running at you at that amount. While the Cowboys did bring in Jonathan Hankins to solidify the run game, how many more years does he have left of production? Also, now Mazi can learn from Hankins and spell him when he gets tired as Mazi works to become the starter.

We talked about how the team had to earn their right to rush the passer. This move goes a long way in helping the cause. The Cowboys pair Mazi with a young pass rushing tandem in Micah Parsons and Sam Williams and put him alongside Osa Odighizuwa. The Cowboys got better today. On the board, players of note was Georgia’s Edge rusher Nolan Smith, Penn State Corner Joey Porter Jr, Clemson Edge Myles Murphy and Offensive Tackle Anton Harrison from Oklahoma. Nolan Smith’s upside is hard to pass on, but in totality, the Cowboys filled a big need. They select a Defensive Tackle in the first round for the first time since Russell Maryland in 1991 when Maryland went number one overall.

Now that the trenches are solidified, the Cowboys will look to do the same on the offensive line and fill other needs like WR, LB and Tight Ends. Day two will be filled with talent. Joey Porter Jr, John Michael Schmitz, Steve Avila, Jonathan Mingo, BJ Ojulari, Keion White, OCyrus Torrence and Brian Branch are still available.

Cowboys Tendencies: NFL Draft

Randy Gregory came into the league in the Drug Protocol due to previous failed tests. Cowboys still took a chance on him in Round two.

Today is Draft day. It’s a perfect time to run down some of the Cowboys Tendencies when it comes to the NFL Draft. Some of these Tea leaves might make it easier to at least understand why they chose who they chose.

1. 30 Day Visits and Workouts matter. Cowboys do not mind tipping their hand when to comes to bringing in the prospects that they like. They put in tons of work on these guys and will bring them in to make sure every box is checked before draft day. This is a reason why those on the inside like DeMarvion Overshown more than I do.
2. They have a Type. McCarthy just mentioned in his last press conference that he prefers Y Tight Ends. TEs who are inline and that can block. They like Corners/Linemen that have length. They prefer Corners be over 6ft tall. Part of their research is talking to coaches. Relationships matter. They go after big school prospects and being an athlete matters. Simi Fehoko hasn’t worked out for them, but that size and 4.3 speed was too good to pass up on.
3. Risky Business. They do not mind taking risks on players that they believe in. Off the field problems like Randy Gregory (Weed), Kelvin Joseph or Josh Ball (Domestic Violence). Medical issues like Sean Lee, Jaylon Smith, Leighton Vander Esch and Damone Clark. We might want them to maybe take less risks with certain guys, but they believe that it is worth it. So players like Mazi Smith, Jeremy Banks, Zach Evans, Tyjae Spears, Chandler Zavala or Garrett Williams will be on their board if they deem them fits.
4. Eyes on the Prize. Dan Quinn attended at least 5 school pro-days this year. (Iowa State- he personally worked out Will McDonald like he worked out Sam Williams the year prior) , Iowa, LSU, Alabama and Ohio State) Joe Witt worked out several DBs for their pro-days and Robert Prince worked out Jalin Hyatt and Cedric Tillman. Aden Durde worked out Tuli Tulipulotu at USC and was at Wisconsin’s pro day for Keanu Benton.
5. Special Prospects. Special teams matters for them. Late into the draft, they will prioritize a guy that can play on special teams and have those traits over a player who does not.
6. FOMO. In the last round, they will target guys that will be in high demand as Priority Free Agents. They often will select them in the 7th versus getting into a bidding war. Similarly, if they think the coaches have put in enough work with prospect, they will take their chance in hoping they will land them after the draft.
7. Draft and Develop. They are not afraid to draft players that might not fit their scheme or tweeners. It doesn’t matter if you were in a true 3-4 or a 4-3, if you were a man corner or a zone corner. A Nose Tackle in college like Neville and Osa or played LB like Micah. Chauncey played Edge at Iowa, now he’s a DT. Israel Mukuamu came in as an outside corner. They had him working as a Safety, but when the playoffs came, he was working in the slot. His versatility helped him. They will develop you and put you in the best place to succeed. McClay and Quinn will have a plan for you, rather you have a high floor or not. They just want guys who are coachable, athletic and have the desired measurements that they are looking for. Even Coach McCarthy have echoed similar thoughts of “Players over scheme.”
8. See ball. Get ball. Production matters. If you are a LB, you better be around the ball and have the tackles to show for it. If you are a DB, you better have pass deflections and INTs. If you are on the Defensive Line, you better have TFLs and Sacks. They are looking for playmakers. You’re prerequisite was what you did in College.