Here are some of the best reactions from Twitter as Deuce Vaughn’s father was emotional after the Dallas Cowboys drafted his son.
Any parent getting emotional over their son being taken in the NFL draft is expected.
For Kansas State running back Deuce Vaughn, his father took his selection a bit more personally.
The elder Vaughn is the assistant director of college scouting for the Dallas Cowboys. When America’s Team picked his son with the No. 212 overall pick in Round 6 of the 2023 NFL draft, it hit a bit differently.
When the Cowboys were conducting their evaluations of the former Wildcat, Chris would leave the room.
On Day 3 of the draft, everyone was in the room to congratulate the Vaughns on keeping it in the family.
With the No. 26 pick in the 2023 NFL draft, the Dallas Cowboys selected Mazi Smith.
Smith, a defensive tackle out of Michigan, will look to help the Cowboys improve on last season’s 12-5 record.
With great expectations comes great responsibility, and now it’s time for you to support your team’s newest star. Check out Smith’s new NFL jersey:
Cowboys Mazi Smith Jersey (Fanatics)
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The NFL is expected to release the 2023-24 schedule in May, but we know that Cowboys fans can look forward to the first matchup of the season, whoever the foe is. It will be the first outing for this promising era of Cowboy football.
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Most of Dallas’ 30-visit list has been depleted after Day 2 of the draft. Find out which players remain that visited with the Cowboys. | From @AsaHenry_55
Few teams, if any, have a stronger correlation between their pre-draft visitor lists and their actual draft selections than the Dallas Cowboys.
On Day 2, The Cowboys continued their trend of adding players from their official pre-draft 30 visit list, as the club picked Ole Miss defensive end Sam Williams with their second-round selection, No. 56 overall. Their other two picks, lineman Tyler Smith and WR Jalen Tolbert, both had private workouts with the club.
A whopping 8 of the Cowboys 28 reported visitors were off the board before their first-round pick, and 17 in total were chosen by NFL teams over the first two days of the draft. With six Day 3 selections (Round 4 No. 129, Round 5 No. 155, 167, 176, and 178, Round 6 No. 193), and 12 remaining prospects from their 30 visits, the Cowboys could potentially add another player that they hosted in Dallas.
Each available player that visited the Cowboys is featured below, as well as the prospects who have been taken off the list. The last day of the draft will determine if the Cowboys are able to add another prospect that they spent additional time with in the lead up to the draft.
Nearly the entire list of the Cowboys 30 visits have been revealed, and it is heavy on the pass catchers and offensive line prospects. | From @AsaHenry_55
Leading up to the draft, NFL teams is allowed to host 30 official visits with prospects at their facility. Often times this is a club’s best chance to get to know a player mentally and medically, and are the best way for fans to begin to paint the picture of what, or who, their favorite team may be prioritizing.
All but a few of the 30 prospects set to meet with Dallas in the pre-draft process have been revealed. ESPN’s Matt Miller has gathered 27 of the potential 30 names. The number follows tradition, as normally the club will hold back a couple of slots in case they need to gather more information closer to the actual three-day event. In addition, The Athletic’s Jon Machota has added a 28th name.
David Anenih, DE, Houston
Markquese Bell, safety, Florida A&M
Daron Bland, CB, Fresno State
Treylon Burks, WR, Arkansas
Charles Cross, OT, Mississippi State
Jordan Davis, DT, Georgia
Malik Davis, RB, Florida
Dawson Deaton, center, Texas Tech
Josh Ezeudu, OT, North Carolina
Kenyon Green, OL, Texas A&M
Devin Harper, LB, Oklahoma State
James Houston, LB, Jackson State
Zion Johnson, OG, Boston College
Cam Jurgens, center, Nebraska
DeMarvin Leal, DT, Texas A&M
Devin Lloyd, LB, Utah
Drake London, WR, USC
Chris Olave, WR, Ohio State
Cade Otten, TE, Washington
Bernhard Raimann, OT, Central Michigan
Jeremy Ruckert, TE, Ohio State
Myjai Sanders, DE, Cincinnati
Luijii Vilain, DE, Wake Forest
Quay Walker, LB, Georgia
Sam Williams, DE, Ole Miss
Perrion Winfrey, DT, Oklahoma
Jelani Woods, TE, Virginia
Jalen Wydermyer, TE, Texas A&M
This information confirms what most Cowboys’ fans hoped and expected, that the team is taking the top offensive line and wide receiver prospects into serious consideration, while continuing to do their due diligence on a number of other positions of need as well.
With the draft now less than a month away, let’s take a deeper look at some of the key takeaways from the Cowboys scheduled visits.
At 6-foot-6 and 215 pounds UDFA wide receiver T.J. Vasher will try to use his raw athletic ability to earn one of the Cowboys roster spots.
The Dallas Cowboys did a complete overhaul of defensive talent in the 2021 NFL draft, and rightfully so considering their lackluster performance on that side of the ball in 2020. The wide receiver position didn’t need a lot of attention with Amari Cooper, Michael Gallup, and CeeDee Lamb being on the roster. However, the Cowboys did add 6-foot-4 speedster Simi Fehoko in the fifth round.
America’s Team took a deeper dive into the wide receiver spot when they dipped their toes into the undrafted free agent pool and signed Osirus Mitchell (Mississippi State), Brandon Smith (Iowa), and Brennen Eagles (Texas). Another pass catcher, T.J. Vasher out of Texas Tech, was also signed and provides an interesting dynamic to the competition at wide receiver this offseason with his height (stands 6-foot-6), length, and ability to make contested catches.
Vasher only played in one game as a freshman in 2016 for the Red Raiders and caught two passes for nine yards, but would receive a medical redshirt after suffering a season-ending injury. Over the next three seasons, Vasher would show the potential that made him a two-sport star in Wichita Falls, Texas, about two hours north of Dallas.
He only caught 29 passes in 2017, but Vasher racked up 545 yards (18.8 yards per catch) and scored six touchdowns. He nearly doubled his reception total a season later (54) and had his most yards (687) and touchdowns (7) during his college days. After 515 yards and six touchdowns in 2019, Vasher struggled last season with just 227 yards and two touchdowns in 19 receptions.
Vasher’s height and length will help him on the pro level as he can use that to wall off defenders and put himself into a position to make plays down the field. In a recent piece on DallasCowboys.com, Kyle Youmans talked about Vasher’s background as a basketball player and how it translates to him being a successful receiver.
“Vasher grew up northwest of the Dallas-Ft. Worth metroplex in Wichita Falls where he was a multi-sport star (Football and Basketball) at Rider High School, earning All-State honors twice on the court. While he is certainly talented on the gridiron, his 6-foot-5 frame looks like it would be better fit on the hardwood (where he was a two-time all-stater). His 84-inch wingspan is the longest out of any wide receiver or tight end in the draft class, including Kyle Pitts (83in). He has the size and the body control to succeed at the next level, and in my opinion, a sneaky pick to make the roster as a rookie,” Youmans said.
– Recapped Week 4 Games – Early Season Emerging Devy Players – C2C Waiver Wire Adds – Elijah Moore Film Review – Deep Dive Player – Texas Tech WR TJ Vasherhttps://t.co/EX7Vvn8p52
This particular part of his game makes him an intriguing option as a threat in the red zone on back shoulder fades and go routes at 6-foot-6, but that’s not to say he doesn’t have things to work on.
His play strength doesn’t match his frame and aggressive press coverage tends to bother him. He needs to develop and refine his route running and he doesn’t possess a lot of speed.
These types of questions aren’t uncommon with undrafted players. Vasher does have raw ability and traits which can turn him into an effective wide receiver with the right coaching.
Outside of the Cowboy’s top three receivers there’s plenty of opportunities to compete. Noah Brown and Cedrick Wilson have the leg up on Vasher from simply having years in the systems under their belt, but both are on one-year deals so nothing is concrete with either.
Training camp and the preseason will be where Vasher will need to prove he’s worthy of one of the final roster spots at wide receiver. Will the Texas native rise to the occasion? Only time will tell.
A quick analysis of how former South Carolina defensive back and Cowboys 6th-round pick Israel Makuamu fits with the club.
The Dallas Cowboys quest to fix the defense was readily apparent through draft weekend. The eighth and final defender selected was defensive back Israel Mukuamu in the sixth-round. At 6-foot-4 and 212 pounds, the 21-year old played a variety of defensive back assignments in his time for the Gamecocks.
He’s an intriguing prospect who some saw going much earlier than where he was taken.
Dane Brugler’s Analysis: “When he stays in position, Mukuamu creates a sizeable shadow over wide receivers with the natural reflexes to disrupt passing lanes. Regardless if he plays corner or safety, false steps are rampant on film and his toughness doesn’t consistently match his imposing size. Overall, Mukuamu offers intriguing length, flexibility and ball skills, but he is a raw, traits-based prospect and his NFL position will depend on scheme, projecting as a press-man corner who can be a match-up defender.”
Mukuamu was born in Bossier City, Louisiana, where he would go on to play his high school football at Parkway High School. Mukuamu played his way into a 3-star evaluation as a safety recruit, and he received scholarship offers from multiple “powerhouse” programs. Mukuamu originally committed to Florida State, but after Jimbo Fisher left the program Mukuamu made the switch to South Carolina.
Mukuamu was a contributor in all three of his seasons in Columbia. As a sophomore Makuamu started 12 games (11 at CB and one at FS) and led the Gamecocks in interceptions (yes, that same Gamecock team that featured Jaycee Horn). His junior year the season was shortened du to the pandemic, but Makuamu once again led South Carolina in interceptions. However, he was also able to increasingly show off his versatility as a junior as he made three starts at free safety and two at cornerback.
After selecting Nahshon Wright with pick No. 99, the Dan Quinn war room influence was clear. Quinn had lanky defensive backs all over the field during his Super Bowl run with Seattle, and the stereotype of Quinn favoring those lengthy defenders seems to be holding true.
Despite primarily paying cornerback at South Carolina, Makuamu’s size and positional experience allow Dallas to have flexibility with how they employ the former Gamecock. According to Cowboys EVP Stephen Jones, Dallas already has a plan to move the massive defender to safety (via @GehlkenNFL).
Cowboys plan to work former South Carolina CB/S Israel Mukuamu at safety, EVP Stephen Jones said. https://t.co/BdVU9Z4CNi
The minute that Makuamu was selected by Dallas, some anticipated his future move to safety as the club had picked up two cornerbacks earlier in the draft (Kelvin Joseph and the aforementioned Wright) while they continued to ignore the safety spot all together, that is until they brought in Makuamu.
Like Wright and the majority of young defensive backs, Makuamu is expected to have an acclimation process before making a serious impact in the league. Nonetheless, Makuamu’s physical profile, experience at multiple positions on the back-end, coverage skills, and ability to contribute on special teams make the former Gamecock look like a potentially worthwhile sixth-round project for the defensive back needy Cowboys.
Mel Kiper or ESPN gave out his yearly draft grades, find out his opinion on the Cowboys 11-man haul.
Despite the months of anticipation and preparation leading up to the three-day NFL draft, the event comes and goes in the blink of an eye. The ramifications of the results however live on for years to come.
It is extremely difficult to fully grade a draft pick in the days, or even months after, as the prospects are yet to play a snap of NFL football. That fact doesn’t deter the industry’s top experts, like ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr, from handing out his annual draft grades for each franchise.
The Dallas Cowboys and their 11-man 2021 draft class (the Cowboys’ most picks made since 2009) received a “B” grade from Kiper, while nine clubs graded out higher from the longtime draft analyst. Nine other teams shared a similar mark.
“The Dallas defense was awful last season, even before Dak Prescott was lost for the year in Week 5. This couldn’t be another CeeDee Lamb situation, where they went with an offensive playmaker even with massive holes on the other side of the ball. They had to get the best defender on the board, ideally a cornerback. Unfortunately for the Cowboys, though, the top two corners went in the two picks before them at No. 10, so give them credit for trading back two spots, adding an extra third-rounder and still getting the guy they say they wanted all along.”
Many analysts thought highly of the Day 2 talent in this draft class, so the Cowboys moving from No. 10 to No. 12 to pick up an extra third round selection, while still getting the top ranked defender available, was a win in most draft expert’s eyes.
“The questions now are… where does Micah Parsons (12) fit, and what does it mean for 2018 first-round pick Leighton Vander Esch and 2016 second-rounder Jaylon Smith? I didn’t peg off-ball linebacker as a need for Dallas, but the organization didn’t draft Parsons to sit on the bench. So maybe it will move on from Vander Esch and plant Parsons at middle linebacker. He’ll improve a porous run defense; the Cowboys allowed a woeful 1,758 rushing yards before first contact last season, by far the most in the league. With Rashawn Slater still available, I thought he would have filled a need at guard. They added to the off-ball linebacker group on Day 3 with Jabril Cox (115), who has some coverage traits.”
An argument can be made against selecting an off-ball linebacker this high in a draft, but Parsons ceiling is tremendous and Kiper is right to think Parsons should immediately help with Dallas’ well-known problems with stopping the run.
Some, like Kiper, may not have thought linebacker was a pressing need in Dallas. However, when one considers Leighton Vander Esch’s injury history (plus the fact that he’s entering a contract year) combined with Jaylon Smith’s inconsistency, and it’s easy to see why the Cowboys were eager to add the former Penn State standout.
“The Cowboys continued their attempt to improve the defense on Day 2 and ended up using all five of their picks on defenders. Cornerback Kelvin Joseph (44) has lock-down traits, and the team will hope that he can make the same sort of impact that second-rounder Trevon Diggs did a year ago. Defensive linemen Osa Odighizuwa (75) and Chauncey Golston (84) were lower on my board, but they’ll help against the run.”
Following the first round trade back the Cowboys had four Day 2 selections that all went to defense. The club finally filled their biggest need with the selection of Kentucky’s Kelvin Joseph, a cornerback with first-round talent who slid due to character concerns.
“I had a late Day 3 grade on Nahshon Wright (99), but he’s a big 6-foot-3 corner who fits the mold of what new coordinator Dan Quinn likes outside. He’s quite confident in his skills, but I didn’t see an NFL starter on tape. Israel Mukuamu (227) is another tall corner, as Dallas showed its commitment to finding guys for Quinn. Simi Fehoko (179) has some speed for a 6-foot-4 wideout, though this team’s receiver room is crowded.”
The Cowboys finished off their draft in Day 3 with a number of high-upside picks. Dallas clearly wanted to add length on both sides of the ball and the club accomplished that goal.
“In total, the Cowboys added eight defenders in this class, though they reached for a couple of them. If Quinn’s corner picks work out, they could have a couple of steals.”
A discussion about the guard position for the Dallas Cowboys, and some draft candidates to consider.
The interior of the offensive line is one of the least talked about parts of an NFL roster, but the importance of solid play throughout the guard and center position cannot be overstated.
The Dallas Cowboys have been fortunate, having one of the best guards in NFL history over the last seven seasons in Zack Martin. However Martin faced the most serious injury of his career in 2020, and beyond Martin there are no sure things at the guard position in Dallas going forward. With that being said, should the Cowboys be considering adding a guard in the upcoming NFL draft?
Guards on the roster
AP Photo/Michael Ainsworth
Any discussions of the best guards in football has to begin with Martin somewhere near the top if not at the summit. The four-time All-Pro has been one of the most consistent lineman in the sport and should continue to preform at an elite level. Nevertheless, 2020 marked the first time when Martin had significant injury issues, as he played a career low 10 games after a calf strain ended his season early.
Martin is under contract through 2025 and will turn 31-years old during the upcoming season, but after a full offseason of recovery the former Notre Dame product should bounce back as one of the best guards in football.
While Martin should have the right side locked down, Connor Williams is may not be as secure on the left side.
The Cowboys had high expectations for Williams after drafting him out of Texas in the second round of the 2018 draft, but the former Longhorn has not quite lived up to said expectations.
Williams has improved each year, and he started all 16 games at left guard a season ago for Dallas, but the 23-year old is entering his last season under contract with the Cowboys. Overall, Williams is solid enough that the club doesn’t need to draft a immediate replacement, but with Williams’ impending free agency after next season the role will potentially be wide open.
Connor McGovern, a third-rounder from 2019, is also on the roster, but like Williams he hasn’t lived up to his Day Two draft capital yet. Injuries all along the line forced McGovern into his first snaps last year, and he would go on to start eight games, with the majority of those coming at right guard for the injured Martin.
If he cannot wrestle the starting job away in training camp, McGovern figures to be the top backup for both Martin and Williams.
After those three names, the Cowboys have just two other guards on the squad, Eric Smith and Adam Redmond. Both Smith and Redmond are on Reserve/Future contracts, and both deals expire after the 2021 season. Redmond has been with the Cowboys for four seasons now and could also backup the center spot, while Smith was signed to the practice squad in September of 2020.
All that leads to the following point, the Cowboys guards have little room for error or injury in 2021, as the club lacks depth with real experience. One impairment to either Martin or Williams, and Dallas will likely wish they had used some form of investment on the position. Plus, the majority of the guards on the roster (Williams, Redmond, and Smith) will see their contracts expire in just one year.
Dallas’ defensive needs are well-known by football fans, and the club will likely use their most valuable draft capital on that side of the ball. However, there are a number of guards projected to go in the mid rounds of the draft that could serve as the top Cowboys backup in 2021, and move into a full-time role the following season, should Williams seek work elsewhere.
The following list of prospects comes from Dane Brugler’s draft guide, “The Beast,” and features five mid-round guards that are worth familiarizing yourself with incase the Cowboys also feel like they can upgrade their guard depth without sacrificing their top pick.
Wyatt Davis, Ohio State, projected round: 2-3
“Davis must play under control and improve his snap-to-snap consistency, but his forceful hands, powerful anchor and finishing skills are NFL-ready. He projects as a guard who will compete for immediate snaps.”
Deonte Brown, Alabama, projected round: 2-3
“Brown moves heavy and lacks great recovery quickness, but he boasts an instant anchor and the upper-body explosion to displace defenders. He won’t be a fit for every scheme, but he flashes Gabe Jackson-like potential if he trusts his technique and vision vs. NFL speed.”
Aaron Banks, Notre Dame, projected round: 3
“Banks needs to mature his hand placement and body posture to
match up with NFL defenders, but he has the massive size and brawling strength to be a square-dominating blocker and potential starter.”
Jackson Carman, Clemson, projected round: 3
“Carman isn’t ready for savvy NFL pass rushers and he is a much better run blocker than pass protector right now, but the physical ingredients are there for him to grow into an NFL starter (similar to Ereck Flowers). He projects best at guard in a power/gap scheme.”
Trey Smith, Tennessee, projected round: 3
“Smith has the size and talent to start in the NFL, but the sloppy
tendencies and streaky aggressiveness are red flags and there are potential lung-related health concerns. He projects as a high risk/reward potential starter in a power-based scheme.”
An updated ranking of the top potential Cowboys prospects, from the Athletics’ Dane Brugler
The wait is almost over as the 2021 NFL draft is officially just three weeks away. As the grand event draws near, experts are fine tuning final grades and analysis of the latest batch of future NFL players.
Dane Brugler of The Athletic and one of the hosts of the Dallas Cowboys Draft Show, has become one of the most well-known and respected analysts in the scouting world. On Wednesday Brugler released his final rankings and analysis in his behemoth of a draft guide that NFL fans have come to anticipate annually.
Even though one must purchase a subscription to view the entire guide (available for a limited time at just $1 per month), the price is worth admission to fans itching for all the draft content they can handle. Brugler’s breakdown, titled, “The Beast,” feature’s information on over 600 prospects, including full scouting reports and positional rankings.
With the draft right around the corner and the majority of free agency out of the way, it is somewhat possible to narrow down what players a franchise will potentially have their eyes on, especially in the first night of the draft. With all that in mind, let’s take a look at Brugler’s latest rankings and analysis of some of the more likely first-round draft options for Dallas.
Breaking down the latest two-round mock draft from ESPN’s Todd McShay, which sees the Cowboys add Jaycee Horn and Christian Barmore.
Even though the Dallas Cowboys have signed or retained nine defensive players through the early portion of free agency, there is no denying the club can and will continue upgrading the unit that struggled so badly a year ago.
Luckily for Dallas, the NFL draft is right around the corner and could provide them with the defensive improvements they are still seeking. ESPN’s Todd McShay seems to think so as well, as his latest two-round mock draft forecasts the Cowboys to add two extremely talented defensive prospects.
“Jourdan Lewis is back in Dallas, but the Cowboys still want to upgrade the cornerback position opposite Trevon Diggs. Perhaps it’s Virginia Tech’s Caleb Farley, though his back procedure might cause concern. Instead, I’m tabbing Horn, a speedy and versatile press corner. The Cowboys gave up 34 passing touchdowns last season, so expect them to address that area here — unless they opt to help protect the $160 million man, QB Dak Prescott, with one of the class’ top tackles.” – McShay
Horn recently joined The Nosebleed Seats Podcast from 105.3 The Fan to discuss his future and the former Gamecock stated, “It would definitely be big to be drafted by the Cowboys,’ Horn said. ‘A team with a lot of history. But anywhere I go, I’ll be happy to suit up for that team.’
Alabama corner Patrick Surtain II is arguably the most commonly predicted player to be added by Dallas, but in this experiment the Cowboys never had a chance at Surtain, as he was selected by Denver with pick No. 9.
The Cowboys first-round selection has also been heavily linked to the draft’s top two offensive tackles, Oregon’s Penei Sewell and Northwestern’s Rashawn Slater. Sewell and Slater go off the board at No. 13 and 14, respectively, in this mock, meaning McShay chose Horn for Dallas over those potential offensive options.
Whatever direction Dallas chooses to go in the first-round, it is imperative that they make the right decision, as they are selecting in the top 10 for just the second time in nine drafts.
Dallas adds another potential game-changer in Alabama’s defensive tackle Christian Barmore, taken here in the second round. The Cowboys continue their trend from the 2020 draft of getting great value on an Alabama defender on Day 2.
“Not only does Barmore fill a hole in the Dallas defense, he also comes at a great value. He is my 33rd-ranked prospect, as he’s super disruptive from the interior.” – McShay
An interior presence with immense upside, Barmore was the first of two defensive tackle prospects McShay predicated to go in the top 64 picks.
Barmore has the tools and talent to excel at every aspect of the position, but isn’t a higher prospect as he never fully put everything together while in Tuscaloosa. Still, Barmore showed flashes of true dominance at times, especially rushing the passer and especially down the stretch of the 2020 campaign.
Christian Barmore: 65 total QB pressures over the last two seasons
Dallas has two young mid-round 3-techs in Neville Gallimore and Trysten Hill, but unless the Cowboys are expecting a substantial jump in level of play from those two then it is hard to argue against adding a player with Barmore’s game-wrecking potential.
