Are the Dallas Cowboys secretly targeting Georgia DT Jordan Davis?

The Dallas Cowboys don’t draft big defensive tackles early. They just don’t. No matter how much they trumpet the importance of strong play up the middle, their actions don’t reflect it.

The Cowboys aren’t completely alone in this either. Many NFL teams devalue the DT position early in the draft. Unless they are a clear pressure player (ala Aaron Donald), teams aren’t eager to spend a premium pick on them.

Georgia defensive tackle Jordan Davis may be the exception to the Dallas Cowboys rule

When the idea of drafting Jordan Davis was first broached here at Sport DFW in January, many of us scoffed. First, the Dallas Cowboys don’t draft 300+lb DTs in the first round. Second, there was no way a top-10 player like Davis was going to fall to Pick 24. The argument seemed moot.

But as the draft cycle has progressed, we’ve seen Davis’ stock fall. Through no fault of his own, he’s sliding down draft boards and the primary season why has nothing to do with his film or testing, but seemingly everything to do with the position he plays.

We see teams devalue the DT spot every year. Despite being the highest player on draft boards, they slip through the cracks. When teams reach on QBs and OTs because of their positional importance, it’s DTs and SAFs who often slip.

Suddenly the chances of an elite talent like Jordan Davis falling is somewhat feasible. But would the Cowboys be interested?

The situation has changed

We’ve seen elite DTs fall into the Dallas Cowboys laps in the past and Dallas barely raised an eyebrow. Why would Davis be any different for them?

Aside from being a size/speed/athleticism unicorn, Davis really can offer something in the form of pass-rush. He wasn’t used as a pass-rusher in Georgia but he possesses all the abilities to push a pocket and explode through gaps.  He’s more Vita Vea than some 341lb trash can full of dirt.

The NFL is trending back into a coverage-heavy league that leans on elite talents upfront to generate pressure. Blitzing is dangerous and teams that can create pressure/stop the run with their front-four, can pack the secondary and close windows in coverage.  The Dallas Cowboys saw this first-hand and you can bet Dan Quinn has taken notes.

https://twitter.com/NFL/status/1500227379259654144

Then there’s the Dallas Cowboys surprising interest. Even though Davis is expected to be gone before Dallas goes on the clock, the Cowboys made Davis one of their official-30 visits. Unlike situations in the past, if the best DT in the draft does slip to them, there is verified interest from the Cowboys.

This alone tells us the past is the past and this situation is different.

As Steven Johnston wrote about this winter, there are circumstances the Dallas Cowboys would draft Jordan Davis because many of Davis’ concerns are easy to dispel (see article below) Keep in mind, the Dallas Cowboys have done nothing to address the middle of their D-line so far this offseason.

Well, we’re seeing this article come to fruition right before our eyes and now it appears if Jordan Davis drops to Pick 24, the Dallas Cowboys may actual do the unthinkable: pick a defensive tackle.

This could be the Micah Parsons-sized steal Jerry Jones was talking about. The needs at OL and WR are the most significant and based on their 30-visits, clearly the primary target early. But Jordan Davis, a player rated top-10 in this class, could cause them to scrap their pre-draft strategy and seize the opportunity. Just think CeeDee Lamb in 2020.

When we first discussed the idea of Dallas considering Jordan Davis I said “I’ll believe it when I see it.” Well, I now kinda believe that if we see Jordan Davis fall to 24, we’ll see the Dallas Cowboys select him.