The Cowboys hosted a number of 2024 NFL Draft prospects for “top 30” visits this week. The visiting group included potential first-round targets like Taliese Fuaga, Graham Barton, and Darius Robinson as well as projected Day 2 selection Junior Colson.
Fuaga, an offensive tackle out of Oregon State, and Barton, a projected interior offensive lineman out of Duke, make sense considering the Cowboys’ losses on offensive line this offseason of Tyron Smith and Tyler Biadasz. If Fuaga is able to start, this would allow Dallas to keep Tyler Smith at guard, where he earned second-team All-Pro honors in 2023. In order to land Fuaga, though, the Cowboys would likely have to trade up earlier into the first round. Barton played left tackle for the Blue Devils for the last couple of years, but his early college film at center shows the versatility that he could bring at the NFL level.
Robinson, a defensive end out of Missouri, feels like the typical Cowboys pass rusher selection and adds depth to a position that saw Dorance Armstrong and Dante Fowler follow former defensive coordinator Dan Quinn to Washington. A bigger defensive end, Robinson could provide some versatility across the defensive line and may be available long enough for the Cowboys to trade back to collect some extra picks and still select him. Colson, a linebacker out of Michigan, would be a nice addition to a position that could use some attention with Micah Parsons spending more time at end. While he’s likely a second- or third-round pick, he’s worth note as he’s expected to be the first linebacker off the board.
Here are a couple of other rumors making the rounds in the weeks leading up to this month’s draft:
- We have seen the draft stock of Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy soaring over the last few weeks. Once considered a tier-two quarterback behind Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, and Jayden Daniels, the polarizing McCarthy has somehow found himself in consideration for the No. 2 overall draft selection. While his stock continues to inflate, Pro Football Network’s Adam Caplan pointed out some of the red flags that have some scouts feeling less than confident about the former Wolverine. McCarthy has been compared to former Steelers’ first-round pick Kenny Pickett “due to his inability to drive the ball down the field.” His strong sense of timing made up for a lack of arm strength in college, but some worry that it will prevent him from being able to make some throws at the NFL level. While he’s almost guaranteed to be a first-round pick due to the top-heavy nature of the position this year, many don’t have a first-round grade on McCarthy.
- Chop Robinson is set to be the next pass rusher out of Penn State to be selected in the first round. The projected Day 1 edge rusher had already taken visits with the Eagles, Ravens, and Saints, but Bleacher Report’s Jordan Schultz informs us that visits with the Giants and Jets were scheduled for this past week, as well. Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 adds that the Texans have Robinson firmly on their radar after meeting with him at the NFL scouting combine.
Can confirm you want to shoot higher than Kenny Pickett.
Even when he showed flashes, his arm was still 10% short of what is needed to succeed. Same with his foot speed, it’s almost but not quite what you need it to be.
I agree. The Pickett comparison seems somewhat fitting for McCarthy, although I think that McCarthy’s intangibles are a bit better.
I imagine NFL teams spend a good bit of coin on their training and physical fitness facilities, so what is the point of making that kind of investment if you can’t even improve the arm strength of a young QB?
I can only think of one QB whose arm got discernibly stronger while in the NFL and he used PED’s.
Wait, I meant…he ate avocado ice cream, yeah.
Avocado ice cream makes your arm stronger, evidently.
It’s the “good fat”.
Wait-you talking about Vinny Testaverde?
JJ McCarthy is why these people get fired. I also wouldn’t compare him to Pickett. Pickett was like Mac Jones, and anyone objectively could see they weren’t starters in the league. McCarthy just has bad mechanics and will need to be coached on everything for a couple of years before he’s ready.