Cowboys use top-30 visit on 'sleeper' draft prospect
With the first wave of free agency in the rearview mirror, we can officially say that it's draft season! As such, that means keeping up with the Cowboys' 30 visits of the year. Every offseason, NFL teams have the right to host visits with 30 prospects eligible for that year's NFL Draft. For the Cowboys, […]
With the first wave of free agency in the rearview mirror, we can officially say that it's draft season! As such, that means keeping up with the Cowboys' 30 visits of the year.
Every offseason, NFL teams have the right to host visits with 30 prospects eligible for that year's NFL Draft. For the Cowboys, one of this year's visits is quite the sleeper.
I'm talking about UCLA's interior offensive lineman Atonio Mafi. Ryan Fowler from The Draft Network labels him as a "sleeper" that impressed in this year's East-West Shrine Bowl.
Justin Melo from TDN reported the Cowboys were one of the teams to schedule a visit with the offensive lineman.
Mafi, a three-star recruit out of high school, was a starter at left guard for the Bruins. With him in the trenches, the Pac-12 team averaged 237 rushing yards per game. He received second-team All-Pac-12 honors in 2022.
Here's A to Z Sports' Tyler Browning's evaluation of Atonio Mafi:
"Raw as a pass protector, feet can stall out as he makes contact. Converted defensive linemen so he knows the importance of hand placement. A force in the run game, he takes pride in burying defenders into the dirt. New to the position, but has enticing flashes that are worthy of a mid-round selection."
The Cowboys lost starting left guard Connor McGovern in free agency and have a need at the position. Having a starting left guard would allow them to keep last year's first-round pick Tyler Smith at tackle which was always the long-term play for them.
If the Cowboys add Mafi in the mid-rounds, they might find themselves one of the steals of the Draft.
