NFL Draft: Discussing the Dallas Cowboys’ Scouting Combine Interviews

Florida CB CJ Henderson

Henderson has yet to test at the combine, but the expectation is he will run in the 4.4s for his 40-yard dash and showcase the lateral quickness and explosion that is very evident on tape. For a team in need of a sticky man coverage cornerback, especially with the news that Byron Jones will not be retained by the team, Henderson could be a good fit.

This interview, unlike the others, could help Dallas in a very important way. Henderson struggled to consistently tackle at the collegiate level. For how good his coverage instincts were, he looked out of place when forced to tackle players one-on-one.

For a team that struggled to make tackles especially in important games, drafting a cornerback who wasn’t a strong tackler seems counterproductive. Rumors of Henderson’s poor tackling include him treating them like business decisions (much like Greedy Williams last year), bad tackling technique, and just a general lack of desire to get physical.

This formal interview could have given the team an opportunity to sort out this issue or weakness to his game in order to better evaluate him as a talent. If the Cowboys want Henderson, he likely would be a first-round selection. The more time the team uses to evaluate his tape and personality the better.

After all, there are other cornerbacks available in this draft.