With the 27th pick in the fourth round of the 2023 NFL draft, the Cowboys made a very Cowboys-esque pick when they selected defensive lineman Viliami Fehoko out of San Jose State. The 6-foot-4, 263-pound no-nonsense prospect offered up a well-rounded game with the versatility to play along the defensive line.
Serving essentially as a red shirt season, 2023 was a chance for Fehoko to hone technique and bulk up. Without seeing game action, Fehoko’s rookie season was extremely disappointing and to many appeared like a bust. It’s a fair assessment considering some in the draft community were calling him one of the most underrated prospects at his position leading up to the draft. Even if he was a Day 3 pick, expectations were high for the rookie. He’ll now get an offseason to do whatever’s necessary to become an actual on-field contributor in 2024.
The Cowboys have a history of targeting defensive linemen with position flex in the middle rounds of the draft. It allows them to use the player outside in various techniques or reduce inside in more of a penetration role. Fehoko’s size and playing style likened him to Chauncey Golston as a prospect. Golston was another college DE Dallas has used in multiple capacities since joining the team.
But unlike Golston, a spot wasn’t readily available for Fehoko. The Cowboys were rich in DE talent and the limited number of active roster spots they had available at DT didn’t allow for a project player like Fehoko to see action.