Dallas Cowboys Draft: TE Brayden Willis profile (late-round sleeper)
By Reid Hanson
The Dallas Cowboys may not find the need at tight end pressing in the least. They may be thrilled with Jake Ferguson, Peyton Hendershot, and Sean McKeon and not see a need to force another young buck onto the roster.
With Mike McCarthy known to rarely utilize 12 personnel in his career, perhaps the heavy 2-TE looks left Dallas when Kellen Moore relocated to LA. In that case, even if Dalton Schultz leaves in free agency, Dallas may wait until the very end to address the TE position.
Brayden Willis is a tight end prospect who could be quite the late round sleeper for a team like the Dallas Cowboys
At 6-foot-4, 235 pounds, Brayden Willis is one of the smaller prospects in the class. He’s also one of the most athletic and versatile. The name of the game with him will be using him the right way and to his fullest.
He’s good pass-catcher, open field runner and run-blocker. He’s too small to be a traditional in-line blocker but he can work the backside and used out of the backfield as a fullback or H-back.
Willis is an aggressive blocker who understands leverage and pad level. He will lead block and help in pass protection. He’s the ideal TE3 who can fill in the blanks with high level play.
According to TDN, Willis has over 850 special teams snaps, meaning teams are almost guaranteed to find a role for him early in his professional career. He’s raw so even though he’s athletic enough to be a real weapon in the NFL, he’s going to need time to develop as a route runner.
Willis is capped somewhat by his height and weight but if he can develop his strengths while learning the nuances of the game, he could be a special weapon for a team like the Dallas Cowboys.
Project Draft Spot: TDN currently has Willis ranked 334 on their big board with Joe Marino giving him a fifth round value. If he tests well (which I think he will) the fifth a perfectly reasonable spot for him to go, and considering his special team ability, he’s someone who has a decent floor and decent ceiling as a prospect
The Dallas Cowboys could go this route if they felt confident in their current trio of TEs and want to focus on developing Ferguson as a real TE1.