Dallas Cowboys 7-Round Mock Draft: Gambling on High-Ceiling Projects
By Reid Hanson
Round 2
Kyle Dugger
DB, Lenoir-Rhyne
Kyle Dugger is about to face a critical few days of testing at the NFL Combine. The small-school DB lit up the Senior Bowl with consistently dominant play. He looks like one of the most physically gifted athletes in the draft and was able to apply that natural skill against polished big-school talent.
After the Combine, Dugger has the potential to rocket up draft boards even higher than he already has. He’s not the typical big fish in a small pond standout we’ve seen in the past. The dude may just be a big fish regardless of pond size. The main question is, is Dugger best at safety or cornerback?
The Dallas Cowboys clearly need him at both and they’ll probably use him in both roles. He’ll instantly be an impact player near the line acting as a blitzer and matching up in man coverage, he has ability to also be a “chase” player out of the WILL in some situations. I also see him as an extra nondescript DB in a 3-3-5 and one day as a full-fledged safety capable of playing deep zone.
Small school guys like Dugger inherently have big boom-bust ability, but Dugger’s dynamic athletic ability combined with his attitude and confidence in the Senior Bowl indicate his floor is higher than most and he could be something special at the next level.