Five prospects with Texas ties that could be on Dallas Cowboys' draft radar
There are many needs for the Dallas Cowboys to address this offseason. With multiple top-50 picks and a few selections in the top-100, the 2021 NFL Draft should aid the team in filling holes and adding talent. Secondary and defensive line are two positions that will be discussed at length between now and April. Those […]
There are many needs for the Dallas Cowboys to address this offseason. With multiple top-50 picks and a few selections in the top-100, the 2021 NFL Draft should aid the team in filling holes and adding talent.
Secondary and defensive line are two positions that will be discussed at length between now and April. Those are two positions that the Cowboys have not invested a ton of resources in, holding the defense as a whole back.
We have covered a variety of prospects here at A To Z Sports Dallas. The draft is much more interesting when the team you are focused on is drafting in the top-10. There is an outside chance that the Cowboys will be choosing the first defender off the board.
The state of Texas has some high quality talent in this year's draft class. From wide receivers to edge rushers to defensive backs, the Lone Star State has it all. We identify five prospects with Texas ties that could be on the Dallas Cowboys' draft radar.
Trevon Moehrig, safety, TCU
TCU had the best safety tandem in college football last season, and Trevon Moehrig was a big reason for that. Gary Patterson seemingly always has a defensive back that stars on the collegiate level. Moehrig was that dude in 2020.
The Jim Thorpe award winner developed into a big time player while suiting up for the Horned Frogs. Moehrig entered the TCU program as a four-star prospect, and he certainly lived up to the hype. In three seasons in Fort Worth, Moehrig made 124 tackles and grabbed an impressive seven interceptions.
Moehrig is currently ranked as the best safety in the 2021 NFL Draft class by The Athletic's Dane Brugler:
Although he might not have the elite top-end speed that NFL teams covet at the position, Moehrig is very smooth in his transition to turn, run and stay on top of routes. He does a terrific job finding the football and making plays.
Dallas has largely ignored the safety position in early rounds of the draft. Perhaps, with Dan Quinn now running the defense, this is the year that changes.
Jaelon Darden, wide receiver, North Texas
The Dallas Cowboys are set at wide receiver, for the most part. Michael Gallup's rookie contract expires next season, and there is not a ton of depth behind the three-headed monster of Amari Cooper, CeeDee Lamb, and Gallup.
Both Cedrick Wilson and Noah Brown are set to hit free agency, leaving a hole at the fourth and fifth wide receiver spots. Therefore, it seems reasonable that the Cowboys will look to add a receiver at some point in the draft.
One candidate to be a late-round target at wideout is North Texas product Jaleon Darden. Darden grew into a highly productive weapon while in Denton, torching nearly defense that he lined up against.
Darden recorded the second most receiving touchdowns in all of college football with 19. Only Heisman Trophy winner Devonta Smith accounted for more last season. That is pretty strong company for the Houston native.
The UNT product is one of the smallest players in the 2021 draft class. He stands at just 5-foot-8 and doesn't weigh very much to make up for any of that. Still, he starred on the collegiate level and is worth taking a shot on late in the draft. He has legit game speed and could complement the rest of the Cowboys wide receiver corps nicely.
Ar'Darius Washington, safety, TCU
Ar'Darius Washington was the other half of the star-studded TCU safety duo. Moehrig has received more of the draft hype between the two, but Washington is a talented player in his own right.
Washington is originally from Louisiana, but he played his college ball in Fort Worth. Similar to another Louisiana native, Washington is an undersized athlete that is always making big plays on defense. 105.3 The Fan's Jeff Cavanaugh has compared the former Horned Frog to Tyrann Mathieu.
The TCU product stands at just 5-foot-8 and under 180-pounds. Still, he was often the best player on the field during his career with the Horned Frogs. Washington grabbed five interceptions and was all over the field as a redshirt-sophomore in 2019 before offenses opted not to test him in 2020.
Washington will be one of the smallest safeties to ever be drafted, but his talent speaks for itself. It remains to be seen if the Dallas Cowboys want to take a risk on an undersized defensive back. That said, Washington appears to be an outlier and has the ability to thrive on the next level.
Levi Onwuzurike, defensive line, Washington
Levi Onwuzurike is the first player on this list to not have played college ball in the state of Texas. The Allen, Texas, native played in the Pac-12 for the Washington Huskies after signing as a three-star prospect in 2016.
Allen has produced a ton of talent in recent history, including the likes of NFLers Kyler Murray, Jalen Guyton, Greg Little, and Bobby Evans. Onwuzurike is next in line to suit up on Sundays.
Onwuzurike opted out of the 2020 season, but that was after he grew into a stud defensive linemen for the Huskies. Playing out of position at nose tackle for much of his time in Seattle, Onwuzurike became an all-conference performer.
Defensive tackle, similar to safety, has been a position that the front office has largely ignored in the draft. There are some exceptions, such as drafting Trysten Hill in the second-round. Still, the Dallas Cowboys haven't been a team to prioritize the position.
Onwuzurike is a prospect that still has development left to do, but he possesses as much upside as any player at the position in the class. He is effective against the run, and he showed some promise rushing the passer.
Baron Browning, linebacker, Ohio State
Browning, like Onwuzurike, played his college ball outside of the Lone Star State. The former five-star prospect blossomed into a stud for the Ohio State Buckeyes, consistently making plays while in Columbus.
The Kennedale native played four seasons for the Buckeyes, recording 109 tackles, 19 tackles-for-loss, and seven sacks over his career. Additionally, he forced a pair of fumbles — including one against Alabama in the National Championship.
Browning is an athletic freak that has the talent to be used in a variety of roles at the next level. Offenses are improving more and more, making players such as Browning that much more valuable.
The Ohio State product is currently ranked as a top-60 prospect in Brugler's rankings. Browning is certainly a prospect worth keeping tabs on as we get deeper in the draft process. The Dallas Cowboys have question marks at linebacker, and Browning is worthy of being in consideration for the 44th overall pick.
There is a decent chance that one of these 2021 NFL Draft prospects with Texas ties end up playing for the Dallas Cowboys.
Featured image via Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
