Dallas Cowboys Draft: 5 Draft prospects Cowboys fans should know
By Reid Hanson
The 2022 NFL Draft is only six months away, Dallas Cowboys fans. As hard as that is to believe, the Dallas Cowboys scouting staff is out there right now, diligently scouting and striving to bring home another windfall of talent fans have grown so accustomed to over the past few seasons.
Typically, the focus on the draft is directly related to the numbers of chicken scratches residing in the Dallas Cowboys loss column. The shift in focus has been a sad but inevitable pivot for Cowboys Nation over the years.
But this is no pivot. It’s multitasking. The 2021 season is going splendidly for the Dallas Cowboys and Cowboys Nation has no desire to look beyond the potential greatness this current season has to offer. But here in the bye week we can split our focus, ever-so-slightly, and look at who we may be eyeing in the NFL Draft next spring.
Assuming the Dallas Cowboys are picking 32nd in the NFL Draft, here are five players we should have an eye on.
We all know things can change in a moment and in no way does anyone expect the big boards of today to look the same next spring. But getting a sneak peek at what’s in Dallas’ territory is fun and educational, so why not take a gander at who may be residing in the 20-40 range of next year’s draft?
Note: All stats and scouting excludes Saturday’s recent games
Zach Harrison, DE
Ohio State
We don’t know what’s going to happen at EDGE for the Dallas Cowboys next year. Randy Gregory is a free agent, DeMarcus Lawrence could be on the chopping block (although I don’t advise it) and Micah Parsons splits his time at LB.
Under the premise you can never have enough pass-rushers, we’ll look to Ohio State to find a pass-rusher who could fall to Dallas at Pick 32. There are a ton of more intriguing options out there but this career underachiever I’m targeting for value and believability.
The former 5-star recruit has not lived up to his billing. Despite being an elite specimen, Harrison has yet to log those gaudy sack totals many expected him to and will suffer accordingly.
But Harrison is more than meets the eye and despite the lack of sacks, he’s been high productive. To go with his sack and strip-sack, Harrison also has 2 TFL, 3 QB hits, and 7 QB pressures. He’s highly disruptive and it’s only a matter of time that manifests in the sack column.
At 6-foot-6 268lbs, Harrison can play a number of EDGE roles in a number of different defenses. He’s an underappreciated player who should be a better pro than he is an amateur.