Tag: Jabril Cox

Cowboys 53-man roster prediction is heavy on defense following draft

The Dallas Cowboys will go heavy on defense in this way too early 53-man roster prediction for the 2021 season.

The 2021 NFL draft dust is just settling, rookie free agents are in the process of getting signed and the teams are narrowing down their rosters to 90 players. The Dallas Cowboys did a little house cleaning to their roster when they released veteran players recently, most notably DT Antwaun Woods, to reach the threshold.

Now set within the roster rules with their 90-man arsenal, the Cowboys have less than four months to trim the player down to its initial 53-man team. Here’s a way too early guess at what the 2021 edition of the Cowboys might look like when they break training camp and head into the season.

Cowboys LB Jabril Cox named draft’s biggest steal

After drafting linebacker Micah Parsons 12th overall, the Cowboys snagged Jabril Cox in the fourth round, making him the top steal of Day 3.

When the fourth round began on Day 3 of the 2021 draft, the Cowboys would end up doubling down on the linebacker position. After taking Penn State’s Micah Parsons with the No. 12 pick, the club circled back around to take Jabril Cox out of LSU, who many had as a second-round talent.

It’s no surprise he was considered a steal and according to ESPN, he’s the top undervalued pick on the draft’s final day who will make an impact in 2021. Mike Brenner of Pro Football Focus explains why.

“The fact that the Cowboys even drafted Cox should tell you how high they were on his services. The Cowboys took the LSU linebacker in the fourth round despite a relative logjam at off-the-ball linebacker, with Leighton Vander Esch, Jaylon Smith, newly signed free agent Keanu Neal, and first-round pick Micah Parsons in the fold.

“Cox was the 45th-ranked player on PFF’s draft board and has earned coverage grades over 80.0 in each of the past three seasons between North Dakota State and LSU. He saw only 41 targets this past season, but Cox still picked off three passes and broke up four more. He may not play right away, but don’t be surprised when he locks down a starting role in Dallas.”

The coverage skills of Cox are his strong suit entering the NFL. According to PFF, Cox didn’t allow a single touchdown nor was he penalized in 352 coverage snaps in which he defended 41 targets. In 1,114 coverage snaps during his college career, Cox only allowed two touchdowns and recorded eight interceptions which made him falling to the fourth round a bit of a head-scratcher considering how teams need coverage linebackers to defend the pass in today’s NFL. However the Cowboys aren’t complaining.

Cox can also make plays against the run. He uses his speed (ran a 4.52 in the 40-yard dash) and quick change of direction to pursue plays from the backside and in space.

He’ll have to compete for snaps in a loaded linebacker room that features Jaylon Smith, Leighton Vander Esch, Keanu Neal, and fellow rookie Micah Parsons. However, with his array of skills defensive coordinator Dan Quinn shouldn’t have a problem finding a role for him.

The linebacker position struggled in 2020 for the Cowboys due to injuries and poor play. With the selection of Cox and the aforementioned Parsons, the Cowboys are hoping that particular unit is a strength in 2021.

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Cowboys announce rookie jersey numbers, Parsons gets Penn State 11

The Cowboys announced jersey numbers for their rookies. Micah Parsons get his old college number 11, and others gets those of past stars.

The NFL recently adjusted its rules when it comes to jersey numbers, loosening restrictions about who can wear what. Running backs, wide receivers, tight ends, and linebackers can all wear single-digit numbers, starting in 2021. For veterans, switching jersey numbers comes with a weird expense. The players have to buy out their old numbers, at retail price, or wait until 2022.

The draft is less than a week old, but newcomers to the league have no such restrictions. The newest rookies of the Dallas Cowboys know what numbers they’ll be wearing under the bright lights of AT&T Stadium now, and their first-round selection Micah Parsons has taken advantage of the opportunity to keep his Penn State jersey number alive, No. 11.

While Cedrick Wilson is the most recent wearer of the number, the most famous recent wearer is ex-Cowboys receiver Cole Beasley. Parsons took to Twitter once it was announced, and seemed extremely pleased as he posted a picture of himself rocking his old number standing over the home of the Cowboys.

The former Nittany Lion will be an important piece of the Cowboys defense right off the bat playing alongside Jaylon Smith and Keanu Neal, and the expectation, as it is with all first-rounders, is for him to continue the dominant play from his college days.

Several other rookies will have big shoes to fill with their new numbers as well. Second-round pick Kelvin Joseph will sport the No. 24, recently vacated by Chidobe Awuzie and once worn by Everson Walls. He made four Pro Bowls, was a three-time first-team All-Pro, and lead the NFL in interceptions three times during his nine-year career (1981-1989) in Dallas. Also, Marion Barber rocked it for six years (2005-2010) and scored 47 rushing touchdowns as one of the league’s toughest runners.

Third-round pick Nahshon Wright will wear No. 40 which was made famous in Dallas by special teams wizard Bill Bates for 15 seasons (1983-1997). Bates was named to the Pro Bowl in 1984, becoming the first special teams player to receive such an honor. He was also named an All-Pro that season and was a member of the Cowboys dynasty in the 1990s that won three Super Bowls.

Speedster Simi Fehoko was taken in the fifth round to add depth to the Cowboys receiver group, and his No. 81 comes with high expectations. Hall of Famer Terrell Owens played for the Cowboys for three seasons (2006-2008) and registered 1,000 yards every year, made a Pro Bowl, an All-Pro team, and scored 38 touchdowns over that span.

Fehoko leaked the news Monday when he posted a picture of himself wearing the old number of Owens, and the caption was his infamous phrase “Get your popcorn ready”.

Here’s a full list of all of the new assignments.

11: LB Micah Parsons
24: CB Kelvin Joseph
75: DT Osa Odighizuwa
59: DE Chauncey Golston
40: CB Nahshon Wright
48: LB Jabril Cox
76: OT Josh Ball
81: WR Simi Fehoko
98: NT Quinton Bohanna
38: S Israel Mukuamu
68: C/G Matt Farniok

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Report: Cowboys expected to decline option on Vander Esch; Quinn anticipates ‘competition’ for LBs

New additions and a history of injuries may turn 2021 into a contract year for Vander Esch; his DC wants ‘competition’ among his LBs.

Two days after the 2021 NFL draft wrapped up with the selection of Mr. Irrelevant, the Dallas Cowboys find themselves, once again, on the clock.

Or at least as far as Leighton Vander Esch is concerned.

The team has until 3 p.m. (Dallas time) to exercise the fifth-year option of the linebacker’s rookie deal. If they do, the 25-year-old Boise State product is guaranteed to make $9.145 million with the club in 2022. If they don’t, Vander Esch becomes an unrestricted free agent next March.

According to Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News, Cowboys fans should expect the team to stand pat, letting the Wolf Hunter play out 2021 as a contract year.

“We’ve been so focused on the draft,” chief operating officer Stephen Jones told reporters on Saturday, “We’ll obviously get our hands around that in short order.”

Short order is here. But the writing may have already been on the wall, given some of the club’s recent choices.

With their first-round draft pick on Thursday night, Dallas opted to claim Penn State linebacker Micah Parsons. Perhaps the selection wasn’t a huge surprise, especially since the two top cornerbacks had just come off the board. Given the team’s dreadful defense in 2020 and last week’s retirement of two-time Pro Bowler Sean Lee, taking the player many deemed the best defensive player in the draft neatly filled a newly-created hole in the roster.

But then the Cowboys also drafted LSU’s Jabril Cox early in the fourth round on Saturday. And suddenly, there are more linebackers in the locker room than there would seem to be long-term room for.

Parsons and Cox were among the players Cowboys Wire suggested “could have an impact” on the front office’s Vander Esch decision… and now the team has both of them.

And all of that’s not even counting Keanu Neal. The former Falcon went to the 2017 Pro Bowl as a safety, but now that he’s been reunited with his former coach Dan Quinn, plans are for him to move to linebacker, further muddying the mix for Vander Esch.

“He will be a linebacker,” Quinn told the media Friday in his first press conference as Cowboys defensive coordinator.

“A player I’ve known for a long time,” Quinn said of Neal. “Adding somebody of his speed and his physicality onto our defense, that’s something that we need.”

Vander Esch himself brought a good deal of speed and physicality to the field starting in his first season. An opening-round choice in 2018, the former college walk-on enjoyed a transcendent rookie campaign that resulted in a Pro Bowl nod, second-team All-Pro honors, and an immediate place in the hearts and minds of Cowboys fans as “The Wolf Hunter.”

But injuries have seriously hampered Vander Esch’s career since, causing him to miss 13 games over the past two seasons. Not long ago, he and fellow linebacker Jaylon Smith made up the top-ranked linebacker tandem in the league. By the end of 2020, though, both were seen by many as liabilities: Smith for his erratic and often lackadaisical play, and Vander Esch for his inability to stay on the field.

Vander Esch and Smith will nonetheless play a major role in Quinn’s defense in 2021.

“Both these guys are really getting after it and putting in work to have a fantastic year,” Quinn said.

But he acknowledges that the addition of Neal, Parsons, and Cox to the group signals that nothing is guaranteed.

“Let’s get out and work together,” Quinn offered as an offseason philosophy. “There’ll be some competition where we’re going. But one thing I do know: both these guys are really good players. And as opposed to, ‘Where are they going to go?’ it’s like, ‘How awesome is that that we’ve got more speed, more length, more run-and-hit players?’ As a coach, I couldn’t be more pumped for that.”

For now, anyway, Quinn relishes the notion of having lots of mix-and-match parts to his Cowboys linebacker machine.

“I’m really looking forward to seeing the different packages and how we’ll feature the guys. It’ll take us a while to figure it all out.”

But Leighton Vander Esch may not have much of a while to figure out how to extend his tenure with the Cowboys. After having to prove himself as a rookie just three years ago, it appears he’ll have to do it all over again in 2020.

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Why the experts think Jabril Cox was a great get for Cowboys

The linebacker position had a rough go of it for the Dallas Cowboys in 2020. Jaylon Smith took a step back, Leighton Vander Esch missed six whole games and parts of others with multiple injuries, and newly retired Sean Lee was absent for seven games …

The linebacker position had a rough go of it for the Dallas Cowboys in 2020. Jaylon Smith took a step back, Leighton Vander Esch missed six whole games and parts of others with multiple injuries, and newly retired Sean Lee was absent for seven games due to sports hernia surgery.

The second level of the Cowboys defense needed a makeover. The Cowboys started with a bang by snagging Micah Parsons at No. 12, but they wouldn’t stop there. Three rounds later, LSU’s Jabril Cox was selected, and many feel that Cowboys got a rangy linebacker who will be a three-down player.

Here’s what the experts had to say.

Cowboys’ Parsons has best defensive ROY odds, two teammates in top 25

Micah Parsons is leading the way in rookie of the year conversations.

The media draft community is widely panning the Dallas Cowboys for their overall haul in the 2021 NFL draft. The Athletic’s Arif Hassan compiled a Consensus Big Board that grouped together the thoughts of 70 different draft pundits and ranked the Cowboys’ draft 28th of 32 teams in respect to the amount of draft capital they entered the weekend with. A twitter  user compiled draft grades from 18 different outlets and Dallas ranked 27th.

Want to know who is impressed with what Dallas did? The sportsbooks. Bet MGM released their odds for offensive and defensive rookies of the year and look who is at the top of the list? Cowboys first-round pick, 12th overall and the third defender selected Micah Parsons shows up with +500 odds, well ahead of Cleveland linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koromoah (+800).

Their fascination with the Cowboys doesn’t end there, however. Two more Cowboys are on the list.

LSU linebacker Jabril Cox shows up slightly lower on the list with +3500 odds. That ties him with five other players for 16th-best odds. Not bad at all for the 115th overall selection. He actually has better odds than the Cowboys’ second-round pick, Kentucky CB Kelvin Joseph. Taken No. 44 overall, Joseph has +5000 odds, tying him with four other players for 23rd-best odds.

In fact, that’s not the last Cowboys player on the list.

Defensive lineman from UCLA Osa Odighizuwa checks in with the final group to get odds of +10000. There are 30 of those guys, but to paraphrase Lloyd Christmas, we’re telling you there’s a chance.

Check out the full table of odds here.

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Where each LSU player landed in the 2021 NFL Draft

Several former LSU players found their landing spots in the 2021 NFL Draft.

LSU football didn’t perform quite up to par last season, finishing out with an underwhelming 5-5 overall record.

But at the same time, a sort of “rebuilding year” seemed unavoidable as LSU returned very little of its starting cast, also experiencing turnover within the coaching staff after a historical season in which the Tigers went undefeated and won the national championship.

Though 2021 was a difficult year for the program, the Tigers still had some bright moments.

Several players from that team found their landing spots in the 2021 NFL Draft, which concluded on Sunday afternoon.

Here’s a look at which teams they’ll be taking the field for this year.

In no uncertain terms Cowboys’ Quinn has served Jaylon, Vander Esch notice

Expect competition for snaps and starter roles to grow from low to extreme as the season goes on. The incumbent Cowboys linebackers should feel anything but safe following the first 4 rounds of the 2021 draft.

Ever watch one of those movies where the lead character looks up to the heavens with teary eyes and blurts out a heart-wrenching plea for help with a “God, just give me a sign!” request? This ain’t that.

The Dallas Cowboys have served notice that the current group of linebackers is not safe. They shouldn’t be, of course, because for various reasons the combination of Jaylon Smith and Leighton Vander Esch have underperformed over the last two seasons. In their final year under Rod Marinelli and their sole year under the quote-unquote stewardship of Mike Nolan, there has not been elite level play from the group. New defensive coordinator Dan Quinn is not going for it and in a draft that has seen six-for-six defenders picked, he’s now used high draft capital to present the incumbents with the ultimate amount of competition. The selections of Penn State’s Micah Parsons and LSU’s Jabril Cox say everything to Smith and Vander Esch without saying a word.

It’s on in Oxnard, fam.

Make no mistake about it. With full disclosure I’ll let it be known I was against picking Parsons that early in the draft. I named him by name in my listing of the only way Dallas could screw up their top-10 selection (though they got him at No. 12 after a trade back).

I don’t like spending big on linebackers.

My disdain for investing important capital (financial or draft) in linebacker doesn’t mean that Parsons isn’t a tremendous prospect. Because of my disdain for picking linebackers early and the other options at more important positions which were expected to be there and were (OL Rashawn Slater), I didn’t want him there, but he certainly has the ability to be a Pro Bowl player based on traits.

Cox however is exactly the type of LB prospect, and exactly the placement in the draft that makes my football heart flutter. The importance of Cox being selected in the same class as Parsons is amped up to 100 under the light of it being Quinn’s first draft.

Not only is Quinn entering that first practice with “his guys” as opposed to players who came from a previous regime, those guys were already on uncertain terms as far as their future.

Vander Esch is in the final year of his rookie deal. Dallas has a decision to make, by Tuesday, on whether or not they are going to exercise his fifth-year option for over $9 million in 2022. While nothing is guaranteed, these two picks seem to be a definitive statement that extension is not coming for the oft-injured player who was named a Pro Bowl alternative as a rookie.

After starting 11 of the 16 games he played as a rookie and totaling 140 tackles, two interceptions and 7 pass deflections, his production and snaps have fallen off. In 19 games over the next two years he has just 132 tackles, no interceptions and just three pass deflections.

Neck surgery in 2019 was followed by a broken collarbone in 2020. Pre-draft injury concerns have carried over to the pro game and the Cowboys should not continue to follow the path of recently-retired Sean Lee in hoping and praying that the next injury doesn’t occur right around the corner.

As for Smith, he’s simply been unable to replicate his 2018 campaign. While his injury concerns seem behind him after his horrific Bowl game injury that basically robbed him of his first two NFL seasons (he played in 2017, but not well at all), the biggest issue is Dallas decided to pay him an extension after just one good season and he hasn’t reached that height since.

Granted, Vander Esch’s injury changed the course of Smith’s season, as he was supposed to be moved to weakside linebacker and had to return to the middle, he’s on notice due to that hefty hit on the salary cap.

A player can’t have the indecision and misdiagnosis he routinely has, as well as effort questions and get paid as much as he does. Smith has the volume stats and he makes impact plays but he is the quintessential example of the stats not matching the overall worthiness of his play.

Both Smith and Vander Esch will be on the field for the Cowboys in 2021. However with Parsons and now Cox nipping at their heels, they are not guaranteed to have as heavy a workload and neither is promised to be in the starting lineup down the stretch of next season.

The youngsters will get the chance to earn their snaps under the new guy in charge and their play could easily lead to one or both of the veterans looking for employment elsewhere in 2022.

That’s a big step for a team where ownership favorites such as Smith may have been able to survive without concern in the past.

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10 players the Lions could target Day 3 of 2021 NFL Draft

The Detroit Lions will look to round out their 2021 NFL Draft heading into Day 3 and some of these players may interest the Lions

We have arrived at the final day of the 2021 NFL Draft, and the Detroit Lions have only two selections, one in the fourth (112) and one in fifth (153), to either try to fill any remaining gaps or make a particular unit that much stronger.

GM Brad Holmes has been content on staying put and allow the draft to come to him, so it might be slim he works a trades to accumulate further picks. He was able to address some weak points on defense with Levi Onwuzurike to play the 3-tech, Alim McNeill at the nose, and Ifeatu Melifonwu as a versatile press corner.

Holmes is sticking to his board, taking the best players he feels could help the team versus reaching for needs and pigeonholing them in any way. Some of the needs they might address in Day 3 are wide receiver, linebacker, or safety.

Here are a few players that could pique the interest of the Lions front office and put a stamp on what has been a solid draft so far.

Amon-Ra St. Brown, WR, USC

St. Brown is projected to fit best in the slot, but it is not out of the realm he could push outside as well. Even though he is on the smaller end, he makes up for it with a competitive streak that coaches will love. He has strong route-running ability, tracks the ball with ease, and could become a returner as well if asked.

Jabril Cox, LB, LSU

The Lions have put a premium on athleticism this draft, and Cox is filled up to the rim with it. He is one of the more athletic linebackers allowing to cover in any scheme coverage. Due to his size, he may struggle with blocks and run defending, but he could potentially turn into a three-down defender with his strong character and athletic ability.

Tylan Wallace, WR, Oklahoma State

Wallace had a very productive career at Oklahoma State, racking up 3,316 yards and 26 touchdowns during his collegiate career leading his team in yards the last two years. He is a route tactician allowing him to find the gaps in coverage and put himself to make the catch with strength and catch radius. He may lack size and not have the greatest speed, but he is a versatile receiver that can line up inside and outside and make the strong contested catch.

Hamsah Nasirildeen, S, Florida State

When Nasirildeen walks into the room, you notice him with a towering figure that gives the edge especially playing safety. He has the physicality to make his presence felt and a toughness that is unmeasurable. He finds himself in trouble from time with his route anticipation and eye discipline lacking while suffering a torn ACL late in 2019, affecting his 2020 status. Still, he has the character and versatility to make it has a hybrid safety while seeing time on special teams.

Jamar Johnson, S, Indiana

A player most thought to be off the board by now is sitting there as a top player heading into Day 3 that the Lions could be eyeing. He was primarily lining up as a free safety in Indiana; he has versatility and size to play in the box and split up the duties. He may shy away from tackling, but his range and ball skills would make him an interesting option to play alongside Tracy Walker.

Trey Smith, G, Tennessee

The Lions have stocked the cupboard with some massive players so far this draft, and it wouldn’t be out of the question they could make another individual that brings the offensive line its final piece. He is a mauler upfront and not afraid to knock you in the chin and could fill in a tackle in a pinch. For a big man, though, he may not have the best body control, and recovering from blood clots in his lung may take him, draft boards. If everything is clear, the Lions could have their guard of the future.

Derrick Barnes, LB, Purdue

He may not look like the prototypical linebacker measuring at only 6 feet; he does have a wicked skill set that makes him valuable as an outside linebacker in coverage or play off the edge. He can find a valuable home as a core special teamer while playing certain defensive situations with his high motor, length, and reaction skills.

Simi Fehoko, WR, Stanford

He is one of the older players on the circuit, but his ball skills make him a very enticing player in the later rounds worth developing. He has excellent body control and reliable hands, with most of his catches resulting in a first down or touchdown. He can line up inside or outside depending on the situation with his impressive short-area quickness while seeing some at special teams while he improves his route running,

Quincy Roche, Edge, Miami

There is no denying the production Roche was able to produce in college, racking up 30.5 sacks during his time at Temple and Miami. With his high motor and first-step quickness, he gains that valuable edge to make the highlight plays in the backfield. He might find a hard time adjusting to the NFL with his average length, especially against NFL tackles, but he has the effort and toughness that could overcome those deficiencies.

Jacob Harris, TE, UCF

Even though he labeled as a tight end, he fits in that same category as Kyle Pitts as an offensive weapon, and his athleticism was on full display at his Pro Day, putting up numbers that only Pitts was able to muster. Now Harris was 30 pounds light than Pitts; the traits are there the coaches can harness. The production lacks only 49 catches and less than 1,000 yards in his career, but he can play as a valuable receiving threat that can mismatch all day.

2021 NFL draft: Biggest surprises of Day 2

Check out the biggest surprises from Day 2 of the 2021 NFL draft

The 2021 NFL draft started off with a bang on Thursday, and Friday’s Day 2 action certainly didn’t disappoint as its successor.

With plenty of notable prospects coming off the board, a run on quarterbacks and 11 cornerbacks being selected, Rounds 2 and 3 provided for some interesting twists and turns as the picks continued to roll in.

Now that the second day of the draft has concluded, let’s take a look at some of the biggest surprises of Day 2 of the 2021 NFL draft: