With the New Year quickly approaching, college football's bowl season is in full swing. As teams try to end the season on a positive note, many players are tying a knot on their college careers and turning their attention toward the 2019 NFL draft.

Even though many highly touted prospects are choosing to skip their team's bowl game in an effort to remain as healthy as possible entering the draft process, bowl games -- especially the major ones -- are still great opportunities to improve draft stock.

The Dallas Cowboys' college scouting department surely will pay close attention as the rest of the franchise readies for a playoff run. Without a first-round pick, the Cowboys won't have a chance to pick from some of the top draft-eligible players in college football, such as Alabama defensive tackle Quinnen Williams or Ohio State quarterback Dwayne Haskins. Still, each major bowl game has a few prospects the Cowboys could be interested in.

With that in mind, let's take a look at a couple of prospects in each major bowl game who Cowboys fans should keep an eye on:

Peach Bowl: Florida vs. Michigan

Chase Winovich, DE, Michigan

Winovich wins in a variety of ways. Tough guy to block throughout the game. Hits a nice bull-jerk move here. pic.twitter.com/iBK75f9RGg — John Owning (@JohnOwning) September 6, 2018

It's never a bad idea to add to the pass-rush rotation in the middle rounds, and Michigan defensive end Chase Winovich would be an exciting addition to Dallas' defensive line. Cowboys defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli preaches effort on every snap -- and that's exactly what Winovich brings to the table.

Listed at 6-foot-2, 255 pounds, Winovich doesn't have ideal size and is, at best, an above-average athlete for his position. What he doesn't have in size and speed, however, he makes up for in technique and effort. Winovich is a more refined pass rusher than his more popular teammate, Rashan Gary, and he's solid against the run, showing the strength and hand technique to set a strong edge.

Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, DB, Florida

If Dallas doesn't take the Earl Thomas route in free agency, the team would be wise to draft a backup for Xavier Woods, and Florida defensive back Chauncey Gardner-Johnson has the skill to fill that spot.

Much like Woods, Gardner-Johnson has spent time at safety and in the slot. At 6 feet, 205 pounds, Gardner-Johnson has the size and speed to be a versatile depth piece for the Cowboys' secondary. Gardner-Johnson has the size and man-coverage ability to stymie tight ends and big slot receivers, and he also displays plus instincts in zone coverage.

Gardner-Johnson closes quickly against the run, using his speed to chase down ballcarriers and quickness to sift through traffic to make plays. He must do a better job of coming to balance when making tackles, though, as he tends to be a little reckless in his pursuit, making it easy for more elusive ballcarriers to avoid him in space.

On top of his defensive skills, Gardner-Johnson also has proven to be an effective special teams player, which is how he initially found his way onto the field for the Gators.

Rose Bowl: Washington vs. Ohio State

Taylor Rapp, S, Washington

Washington safety Taylor Rapp's closing speed 🚶‍♂️💨 pic.twitter.com/ITwLG3gHbk — Michael Kist (@MichaelKistNFL) November 3, 2018

Since we already discussed Washington safety Taylor Rapp this week, we are going to keep this one short. Rapp is a playmaking safety who does his best work near the box. He displays good instincts and he's a reliable tackler in almost any situation. He could provide an immediate upgrade over Jeff Heath.

Michael Jordan, OL, Ohio State

Injuries to Travis Frederick, Connor Williams and Zack Martin this season have shown how important depth is on the interior offensive line. Since 2019 is the last year on Joe Looney's contract, Dallas would be wise to draft and develop Looney's replacement as the primary backup interior offensive lineman.

If he declares, Ohio State's Michael Jordan would be the ideal candidate for the Cowboys to select in the middle rounds for that role. Listed at 6-7, 312 pounds, Jordan has experience at guard and tackle. Jordan displays plus length and does an excellent job of steering defenders at the point of attack, opening up lanes and creases for the ballcarrier. Jordan is adept at blocking in space and understands how to cut linebackers off at the second level.

Jordan's biggest enemy is his footwork, as he has a tendency to false step in pass protection, giving opposing interior defenders a soft edge to attack. Jordan isn't a bruiser and needs to improve his grip strength to better sustain blocks.

While he likely won't be ready to contribute in Year 1, Jordan can develop into an essential depth piece who can handle spot starts when needed.

Sugar Bowl: Texas vs. Georgia

Terry Godwin, WR, Georgia

Georgia wide receiver Terry Godwin's skill set is predicated off speed, as the senior possesses the ability to take the top off the defense.

At 5-11, 185 pounds, Godwin can have trouble against longer and more physical cornerbacks, but when he's given space, Godwin is a handful for any corner in college football. He does a great job separating at the top of his routes and he's an impressive blocker for his size, displaying good effort and technique as a run-blocker.

As one would expect with a player his size, Godwin tends to struggle in contested-catch situations and lacks the physicality and hand strength to consistently bring balls down in traffic.

Godwin likely won't cost a top-100 pick and would be an ideal No. 4 receiver who could fill the role of a dynamic vertical threat while making contributions on special teams.

Brandon Jones, S, Texas

There's that man. Brandon Jones. Not the best decision by Kyler Murray to put it mildly. pic.twitter.com/vuFWwPYAXK — Fed Scivittaro (@MeshPointScout) October 6, 2018

While Rapp is a potential strong safety option for the Cowboys, Texas' Brandon Jones is more of a free safety. Listed at 6 feet, 205 pounds, Jones has good enough size for the position to go with impressive range as a deep safety.

Typically the last line of defense, Jones is a reliable tackler who takes good angles in run support when filling from the deep middle. In coverage, Jones is an aggressive safety who can be greedy at times in coverage.

While Jones wouldn't challenge Woods for the starting job immediately, he would give Dallas a talented backup who could be utilized in situations when it uses three safeties.

Jones is a junior, so he's not a lock to declare, but if he puts together an impressive performance against the Georgia offense, it may push him to forego his senior season.

Fiesta Bowl: LSU vs. UCF

Wyatt Miller, OT, UCF

The Cowboys would be wise to allocate more resources toward its offensive line depth, and UCF offensive tackle Wyatt Miller has the ability to be a nice pet project for offensive line coach Marc Colombo.

Though Miller has played primarily at tackle, he projects better inside to guard because he lacks the foot speed and mirror ability to survive on the edge in the NFL. And at 6-4, 306 pounds, Miller has the size to thrive inside.

If Miller shows well against LSU's front, it would go a long way toward improving his stock. While Miller isn't ready to contribute immediately, he could develop into a nice depth piece on the offensive line in Year 3 or 4.

Rashard Lawrence, DT, LSU

A quick lesson in hand removal by LSU DT Rashard Lawrence. pic.twitter.com/qnxQqdK93g — Cole Cubelic (@colecubelic) July 9, 2018

In a potentially stacked defensive tackle class, LSU's Rashard Lawrence is a player Dallas could consider in the top 100 picks if he declares.

Listed at 6-3, 317 pounds, Lawrence has a natural leverage advantage against most interior offensive linemen and uses it well to reset the line of scrimmage in the run game. Lawrence is more disruptive than he is productive at this point, as he has just 4.5 sacks and 10.5 tackles for loss in three seasons.

Still, Lawrence shows the potential to be a high-level NFL starter. Lawrence possesses violent and active hands to keep himself clear of contact -- though he does tend to struggle to counter when an offensive lineman is able to latch onto his frame.

A big-time performance against UCF could push the junior defensive tackle to declare for the draft.

Cotton Bowl: Clemson vs. Notre Dame

Christian Wilkins, DT, Clemson

I really like this stab-club move from Christian Wilkins here pic.twitter.com/jkpxhgqut2 — John Owning (@JohnOwning) January 6, 2018

When Christian Wilkins contemplated declaring last season, Dallas was a spot he was consistently linked to. One year later and nothing has changed, as Wilkins is one of the players most frequently mocked to Dallas at this juncture.

Listed at 6-3, 315 pounds, Wilkins possesses the size and athleticism to be an excellent under tackle in Marinelli's defense. Wilkins is at his best when tasked with penetrating up the field, which is exactly what he'd be asked to do with the Cowboys.

While he doesn't possess the quickest get-off, Wilkins does showcase plus later-movement ability, making him dangerous on stunts and twists upfront. On top of that, Wilkins has a strong foundation to build off of from a technique standpoint, as he is much more refined than most defensive tackles at his age.

Wilkins would provide a major boost to Dallas' interior defensive line because his advanced skill set should allow him to make an immediate impact. There's a ton of defensive tackle talent in the 2019 class -- Wilkins is just one who could catch the Cowboys' eyes in the second or third round.

Jerry Tillery, DT, Notre Dame

I mean c'mon. THIS IS GETTING RIDICULOUS. Jerry Tillery was a monster this game... and that's putting it nicely. pic.twitter.com/4mV1tEjDty — Jonah Tuls (@JonahTulsNFL) December 19, 2018

Just like with Rapp, we already discussed Jerry Tillery's fit with Dallas earlier this week, so we are going to keep this one short. Listed at 6-7, 305 pounds, Tillery has rare size and length for a defensive tackle. Despite his height, Tillery shows the flexibility to drop his pad level and play with good leverage, maximizing his ability to generate power at the point of attack.

Tillery would be a phenomenal addition to Dallas' defensive line because he has the versatility to play at the nose (1-technique) or under (3-technique) tackle spots. Tillery's power and explosiveness would be a welcome addition to the interior defensive line.

Orange Bowl: Alabama vs. Oklahoma

Bobby Evans, OT, Oklahoma

Ford's running mate at LT, Bobby Evans, isn't exactly the nicest guy either - pic.twitter.com/JMS6LvWzVd — Michael Kist (@MichaelKistNFL) December 22, 2018

Earlier this week, we discussed Oklahoma right tackle Cody Ford's potential fit with Dallas. Oklahoma left tackle Bobby Evans could be another potential option for the Cowboys in the 2019 draft.

Listed at 6-5, 299 pounds, Evans has ideal size to play on the edge in the NFL. Much like Ford, Evans' biggest issues come from his footwork, as his feet can be clunky in pass protection and may narrow at the point of attack, sapping his ability to play with optimal balance. Outside of footwork, Evans is a plus athlete for the position and shows the ability to mirror speed up the edge and redirect inside if needed.

Because of his overwhelming power and more deliberate hands, Ford is the superior prospect of the two Oklahoma tackles, but Evans would be a great consolation prize if the Cowboys missed out on Ford. Evans could step into the swing tackle role immediately with the potential to challenge La'el Collins for the starting right tackle spot in Year 2 or 3.

Irv Smith Jr., TE, Alabama

Hello Irv Smith Jr. 👀 pic.twitter.com/9b83Dqwk0r — John Owning (@JohnOwning) December 27, 2018

Of all the draft-eligible tight ends, Irv Smith Jr. may have the highest ceiling. The junior tight end is an exciting athlete who is capable of dominating down the seam. On top of his vertical speed, Smith has shown rapid development in his ability to generate separation out of his breaks. He's also a yards-after-catch threat in the open field, with speed to run away from linebackers and power to run through defensive backs.

Smith is still raw as a blocker and has trouble latching and sustaining blocks against moving targets, but he is a willing participant in the run game. He shows basic understanding of body positioning and how to roll his hips to generate power at the point of attack.

Smith would be an immediate upgrade over Blake Jarwin as Dallas' "space" tight end. The Cowboys would be unwise to trust Smith as an inline blocker in Year 1, but he could give them the vertical threat up the seam that's been absent this season.

Twitter: @JohnOwning