Byron Jones, Cornerback #31 (26/6’1"/205)

Byron has played as the Cowboys’ strong safety over the last two years, in the box primarily covering tight ends and slot receivers. But he struggled as a run defender, and was mostly just valuable for to his top-notch man-coverage skills. Jones is moving to cornerback in 2018, which many believe is his best position. He has great size for the cornerback position, measuring over 6’ tall, over 200 pounds, and with arms that are 32" long. He’s also a crazy athlete who was clocked between 4.36 and 4.43 seconds in the forty at his pro day in 2015, after he blew up the Combine with a 44.5" vertical and an unofficial world-record broad jump of 12’03". He also tested above average in the agility drills, (79th percentile in three-cone, 92nd percentile in the twenty-yard shuttle, and 91st percentile in the sixty-yard shuttle). Those elite numbers led to a SPARQ score of 150.8 which is in the 99.99th percentile. Jones showed how good he is in coverage the last two years, effectively shutting down tight ends for most of the year. As a cornerback, his elite size, speed, explosiveness and agility could make him a legit #1 cornerback in the NFL. Under new DB’s coach Kris Richard, who has successfully developed corners in Seattle, Jones could up and be an elite cover corner who can shutdown opposing team’s #1 options in the passing game. And for a cornerback, he’s a solid tackler, not a liability as a tackler like he was at safety. On top of all that, Jones is extremely smart and consistently makes the right play. Jones could be in for a big year after switching to cornerback.





La’El Collins, Right Tackle #71 (25/6’4"/317)

After making the switch to right tackle from left guard in 2017, Collins faced murderer’s row of pass-rushers with the likes of Von Miller, Ryan Kerrigan, Jason Pierre-Paul, and Khalil Mack among other top-tier pass-rushers, and he played well, coming in as the #16 ranked right tackle in the NFL in the Bleacher Report 1000 series. He’s an aggressive, physical player with plus upper-body strength to mash or control defenders at the point of attack. He has just enough length with 33 ¼" arms and the functional athleticism to be one of the better right tackles in the NFL. In his second year at right tackle, look for Collins to further develop his technique and get used to the position. Collins’s athleticism, nasty demeanor, and booming power could help him develop into a top right tackle in the NFL. With the addition of Connor Williams, a healthy season from Tyron Smith, and improvement from Collins, the Cowboys’ offensive line could be the best unit in the NFL, even better than the historically great unit they had in 2014.





Randy Gregory, Defensive End #94 (25/6’5"/255)

At this point, it seems fairly likely that Gregory will be back for the 2018 season after his year-long suspension. All reports are that Gregory has stated in shape, passed every drug test, and is committed to coming back better than ever. Before failing a drug test at the Combine, Gregory was considered an elite pass-rushing prospect. Gregory has added about 20 pounds to his frame since entering the NFL while still maintaining his elite athleticism. Gregory has long arms (34") and big hands (10") to go with exceptional athleticism. In the 2015 pre-draft process, Gregory showed off his explosiveness with a 36.5" vertical (84th percentile), a 10’05" broad jump (93rd percentile) and a 4.64 forty (88th percentile). But what made Gregory truly special as an edge-rusher was his elite bend and flexibility, evidenced by his 6.79 three-cone time (98th percentile) and 4.16 twenty-yard shuttle (92nd percentile). Gregory has always been stronger than he looks as well, evidenced by his 24 reps on the bench press of 225 pounds despite weighing only 235 pounds at the time. Gregory explodes off the snap and can really get around the edge and flatten to the quarterback. He also has explosive, violent hands and above-average hand usage. If Gregory is healthy, in-shape, and focused, he could easily rack up 10+ sacks as the team’s right defensive end opposite DeMarcus Lawrence, using his speed, length, flexibility, and violent hands to consistently get after the quarterback.





Tavon Austin, Running Back/Wide Receiver #10 (28/5’8"/179)

The Cowboys traded for Tavon Austin to add some speed and explosiveness to the offense as both a runner and receiver. Austin is a small player, but he’s very electric with elite speed (4.34 forty) and game-breaking agility (4.01 twenty-yard shuttle) that makes him a nightmare to tackle in space. The Cowboys have said they want to get Austin the ball more than 10 times a game, and that may be unrealistic unless they plan on taking Zeke off the field, but he could easily get over 100 touches on offense, maybe 3 catches and 5 carries a game. Austin will bring value with the ball in his hands, as he has the speed and agility to turn any touch into a big gain. He’ll likely see some carries and catches from both the slot and backfield. But Austin also brings a tactical advantage to the offense as teams have to respect his speed when he’s crossing the the formation in sweep motion. One of the staples of OC Scott Lineman’s offense is a fake fly sweep going one way, with a play action running back slip screen going the other way. Ezekiel Elliott has scored two long touchdowns on this play, one against the Steelers in 2016 and one against the 49ers in 2017. But the Cowboys will be even more dangerous on this play this year, and by using motion-play action to threaten Tavon as a runner on sweeps will open up big plays off pitch-and-catch on the other side with Dak and Zeke. It’s not unrealistic to think Austin will be the Cowboys’ second most-used offensive player behind Zeke. In Linehan’s scheme, Austin could blossom into a dangerous weapon as both a runner, receiver, and even a returner. It’s not unreasonable to imagine Austin getting 100 touches and 750 yards of total offense in 2018, maybe 65 carries for 400 yards, 35 receptions for 350 yards.





Jaylon Smith, Linebacker #54 (23/6’2"/252)

After missing his whole rookie year in 2016 with a knee injury, Jaylon got on the field in 2017 and gradually improved every week. Towards the end of the year, he was looking just as fast and just as explosive as he was at Notre Dame when he was considered a top-10 talent before injuring his knee in his final college game. Jaylon can really fly around the field who’s already one of the fastest linebackers in the NFL and he’s an ferocious striker who has some serious raw, explosive power as a hitter. Jaylon’s instincts and feel for the game were clearly raw in 2017, but this year he is moving to SAM linebacker with Leighton Vander Esch playing the MIKE. Jaylon is likely being groomed to replace Sean Lee at WILL linebacker, where his sideline-to-sideline speed and explosiveness could make him a Pro Bowl player. Jaylon also is pretty good in coverage and has shown in college he has the athleticism when 100% healthy to cover tight ends, running backs, and even some slot receivers. In 2018, Jaylon will be the #3 or #2 linebacker, and he should end up actually being very effective as a blitzer with his speed, explosiveness, and change-of-direction ability. If Jaylon keeps developing his instincts and begins to trust his eyes better, he could wind up being an elite linebacker at the WILL position that Sean Lee currently occupies. If Sean Lee goes down with injury again, Jaylon could take the WILL spot next to Leighton Vander Esch and give the Cowboys a young duo at linebacker with size, athleticism, and explosiveness.





Allen Hurns, Wide Receiver #17 (26/6’1"/207)

While it may be hard to call a player who’s already had a season with 1000 yards and 10 touchdowns a "breakout" player, Hurns has never made a Pro Bowl or been the #1 receiver on a team, as Allen Robinson was the Jags’ #1 while Hurns was in Jacksonville. Hurns is not the most physically imposing or athletically gifted receiver, he wins with his polished route-running, smarts, toughness, and ability to make tough catches. Hurns can play any receiver position and be productive. Hurns plays with excellent competitive toughness and the chip on his shoulder you would expect from a former undrafted free agent. Hurns is smart and understands how to win vs. zone coverage and he does it routinely. He is a natural hands-catcher who can make difficult catches in traffic. Hurns is very tough after the catch, showing some agility, toughness, and the vision to pick up extra yards. His ability to play any receiver position could help him get favorable matchups could really help the offense. Hurns will be serving as the Cowboys’ #1 receiver in 2018, but they don’t expect a 1000 yards and 10 touchdowns, but if he can get 750-850 yards and 6-8 touchdowns it would be a successful season for him. He’ll have a big role in the Cowboys’ offense and he will need to show up and force teams to respect the Cowboys’ passing game and keep defenses honest so they can’t just focus on stopping the run.





Chidobe Awuzie, Cornerback #24 (23/6’0"/202)

After missing time early in his rookie season in 2017, Awuzie took over the starting job in week 8 and was impressive. Pairing Awuzie and Jones at cornerback would immediately give the Cowboys one of the most athletic cornerback duos in the NFL. While Jones’ athleticism is well-known, Awuzie doesn’t get enough credit for being an elite athlete. With a 4.43 forty, 39.5" vertical, 11’00" broad jump, and 6.81 three cone, Awzuie’s SPARQ score of 137 is in the the 97.7th percentile. He has good size, but has really short arms for a cornerback at only 30 ⅝", but he overcomes that lack of length with his size, elite athleticism, and physicality. His ability to change directions quickly and play sticky man coverage or break on the call are rare for a bigger cornerback. Looking to step into his first full season as a starter, Awuzie has reportedly been living at the Cowboys training facility and had an impeccable attendance record at Cowboys’ offseason conditioning meetings. Awuzie has the athleticism, coverage ability, ball skills, and physicality as a tackler to be one of the better, more complete corners in the NFL, and he could take a huge step forward if he stays healthy. Awuzie is one of the Cowboys’ young building blocks on defense, and he could easily become a legit #1 cornerback by the end of the 2018 season.





Blake Jarwin, Tight End #89 (24/6’5"/256)

After reports that Jarwin was working as the Cowboys’ #1 tight end in OTA’s after being an undrafted free agent in 2017 and getting moved up to the active roster from the practice squad so he wouldn’t get signed by another team. While Jarwin’s college career at Oklahoma State was not exciting or very productive, that was due to not being utilized as a receiver much, but moving around the field as a tight end, fullback, H-back, in the slot, and out wide in Oklahoma State’s "Cowboy" role. Jarwin has good speed, is a good route-runner, and has soft, sticky hands. He plays tough over the middle and as a blocker. He’s more versatile and athletic than the Hall of Famer he’s replacing in Jason Witten. Jarwin will have a big opportunity to be a featured part of the Cowboys’ offense going forward, and his versatility, blocking, and receiving skills could make him a quality starter who seemingly came out of nowhere.





Jihad Ward, Defensive Tackle #51 (24/6’5"/297)

With David Irving starting the season on a four-game suspension and Maliek Collins currently recovering from another foot/ankle injury, there will be an opportunity for a defensive tackle to rise up and impress the coaches. The Cowboys coaches were enamored with Ward while coaching the 2016 Senior Bowl, where he was very impressive and moved to a 4-3 defensive tackle role after playing primarily as 3-4 end in college, then was miscast as a 3-4 end in Oakland. While overall Ward’s testing numbers aren’t impressive, his 9’02" broad jump and 4.63 twenty-yard shuttle are impressive. Ward is extremely strong and powerful, with a violent punch and upper-body strength. His arms are a hair under 34" which is very long for a interior defensive lineman. Ward plays hard with a high motor at all times. The Cowboys have been impressed with Ward throughout OTA’s and minicamp, where he was lining up with the first team at defensive tackle while Irving and Collins were out. The Cowboys love players with Ward’s length, motor, and strong, violent hands. He’s still very raw, but defensive coordinator/defensive line coach has shown in the past he can get the most out of players like Ward and develop them into contributors. Ward still has a lot of untapped potential, and with his motor, power, and Marinelli’s coaching, Ward could become a key piece in the Cowboys’ defense going forward.





Noah Brown, Wide Receiver #85 (21/6’2"/219)

Still a very young player, Brown came out of Ohio State as a big, physical possession receiver. He’s not overly fast or explosive, but there’s been training videos of him surfacing all offseason of him looking much-improved with his quickness as a route-runner and making some one-handed grabs. Brown has excellent ball skills and a sticky hands to make difficult catches in traffic and plays big. He likes to bully cornerbacks trying to press him with his impressive strength and physicality. Brown was really raw as a route-runner last year, but if he’s gotten quicker and slimmed down, he could surprise a lot of people and hold off new additions like Deonte Thompson and Cedrick Wilson Jr. for playing time. With so many red-zone targets no longer on the team after the departures of Dez Bryant and Jason Witten, Brown could have a big role on the Cowboys as the go-to redzone receiver.





Xavier Woods, Safety #25 (23/5’11"/205)

Woods is going to be one of the Cowboys’ starting safeties alongside Jeff Heath, and after a rookie season where he flashed his versatility and playmaking skills, he could have a big year in 2018. Woods doesn’t have great size, but he’s a good athlete and he’s a smart, heady player. He’s a natural free safety who has excellent ball-tracking skills from the single-high position, but he also showed he can play in the box and be an effective slot cornerback. Woods has with excellent instincts and ball skills, showing off the sticky hands to force turnovers. He’s a generally reliable tackler who takes good angles, but he also isn’t afraid to leave his feet and deliver a big shot to a receiver coming over the middle or a ball-carrier. The Cowboys will love his versatility to play either safety position and be a quality slot corner, but he’s at his best playing single-high and using his playmaking instincts and physicality to make plays. Woods will likely need a few games to settle into his full-time role as a safety, but he could be the playmaker the Cowboys have long been missing at safety.





