Dallas Cowboys: 3 prospects in Dane Brugler's top-50 to know
The NFL Draft is just 100 days away! That seems crazy, as it seems the Dallas Cowboys were kicking off the 2020 season just last week. Before we know it, Will McClay and company will be gearing up to secure another strong draft class for the Cowboys. This year's draft process will be much different […]
The NFL Draft is just 100 days away! That seems crazy, as it seems the Dallas Cowboys were kicking off the 2020 season just last week. Before we know it, Will McClay and company will be gearing up to secure another strong draft class for the Cowboys.
This year's draft process will be much different than years in the past. The NFL recently announced that the 2021 NFL Combine will not include any in-person workouts this year, taking away an opportunity that has launched prospect's stocks over the years. Instead, all workouts will be done at each individual player's Pro Day.
Fortunately, the 2021 Reese's Senior Bowl is still on, which will allow some of the nation's top senior prospects to practice in front of and interview with a handful of league scouts and decision makers. Marquee players such as Devonta Smith, Mac Jones, and Tylan Wallace will be in Mobile.
For the non-seniors — or the seniors not invited or attending the Senior Bowl — the opportunities to rise on draft boards are limited. Front offices and coaching staffs will be forced to lean on the tape more this year than even last year when the COVID-19 pandemic first hit.
The Dallas Cowboys, by all accounts, had a strong draft class in 2020 — headlined by CeeDee Lamb, Trevon Diggs, and Tyler Biadasz. The hope is that the front office is able to stack another strong class on top of that one.
The Athletic's Dane Brugler recently released his updated top-50 prospects for this year's class, and we highlighted three players that Cowboys fans need to be familiar with.2
*note: we decided to add a few different names in this piece, as many are already aware of the Caleb Farleys and Patrick Surtains of the world.
Jaycee Horn, cornerback, South Carolina
It is no secret that the Dallas Cowboys are in the market for a cornerback this offseason. Chidobe Awuzie and Jourdan Lewis are set to hit free agency, and there's not a ton of talent in the room to begin with.
2020 second-rounder Trevon Diggs flashed potential at different points of his debut season, but he also went through some rookie struggles. Improving that unit on the team needs to be a top priority, and it likely will be with Dan Quinn now in charge of the defense.
That brings us to South Carolina's Jaycee Horn. Horn is the son of former New Orleans Saints wide receiver Joe Horn, and he has proven to be a talented football player in his own right. The 6-foot-1, 205-pound defensive back more than held his own in the Southeastern Conference while playing for the Gamecocks — lining up against the likes of Devonta Smith, Jerry Jeudy, George Pickens, and more.
Horn is a physical corner that is not afraid to get in a wide receiver's face. Additionally, he grabbed two interceptions and defended six passes in 2020, playing a primary role in South Carolina beating Auburn on the road.
Brugler ranks Horn as the 20th overall prospect in the class, coming in at number three at the cornerback position:
With his length and athleticism, Horn matches up well vs. size and shows more ownership for the catch point than most receivers, displaying improved route recognition the last three seasons. While his aggressive nature is a strength to his game, it also works against him at times — he is the type of corner who immediately finds the official after each play to make sure no flags were thrown (five penalties in seven games in 2020).
Farley and Surtain are the two big names at cornerback this year, but Jaycee Horn is certainly a name to watch for the Dallas Cowboys — either at number 10 or in a trade-back scenario.
Trevon Moehrig, safety, TCU
Continuing with the defensive back theme, Trevon Moehrig is the second name mentioned in this article. The Texas Christian safety proved to be one of the elite defensive backs in all of college football during his time in Fort Worth, even earning Jim Thorpe Award honors following his final season in college.
The Horned Frogs have been known to produce defensive backs under Gary Patterson, and Moehrig is the latest in that pipeline. Standing at 6-foot-1 and weighing 209 pounds, Moehrig was a disruptive defensive back in the pass-happy Big 12 — evidenced by his seven career interceptions in three seasons.
The Cowboys have largely ignored the safety position over the years, but perhaps this is the year that changes with Dan Quinn now in the building. If that does happen to be the case, expect Moehrig to be in consideration.
Brugler ranks the TCU product as the 33rd overall prospect in the class, and the top player at his position:
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.
With Xavier Woods headed for free agency, Moehrig would be a fun add to the secondary and would have a chance to play significant snaps early.
Rashawn Slater, offensive tackle, Northwestern
The highest ranked prospect of the three players mentioned in this article is Northwestern offensive tackle Rashawn Slater. The 6-foot-4, 308-pound lineman decided to opt-out of the 2020 season, but he produced some quality tape against elite defensive linemen back in 2019:
Offensive tackle may not be the biggest need for the Cowboys with the expectation that Tyron Smith and La'el Collins are ready to go in the fall, but Slater is a top prospect that could step in and play right away somewhere along the offensive line for the Cowboys.
It is hard to ignore Smith's injury history, and the Cowboys' offensive line had some — albeit expected — struggles over the course of the season without their tackles in the lineup. Slater is a talented prospect that would also offer the Cowboys a security blanket in case something were to happen to either Smith or Collins moving forward. The NFL has turned into an arms race and strengthening your offense is more important than ever.
Brugler ranks Slater as the sixth overall prospect and the second best player at offensive tackle:
Slater doesn’t have ideal height or length, but he is agile, stout and power-packed and doesn’t allow rushers to go through him (Isaiah Wynn conversation all over again). He is very quick to lock up pass rushers before they can set up their moves, rarely straying from his fundamentals.
It is a little difficult to see the Dallas Cowboys going offense in the first-round with all of the questions on the defensive side of the ball; that said, it appears that Slater would be a serious name of consideration depending on how the board falls. In fact, Brugler recently sent the Northwestern tackle to the Cowboys in a recent mock draft.
There will be a number of different options that the Dallas Cowboys could take come April's draft. We listed three names to get familiar with as we get closer and closer to the Cowboys coming on the clock.
Featured image via Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
