Dallas Cowboys: Honing in on draft targets (Kelee Ringo, CB)
By Reid Hanson
As the Dallas Cowboys inch closer to the 2023 NFL Draft, they are likely to hone in on some key draft prospects. Kelee Ringo is a cornerback prospect from Georgia the Cowboys have no-doubt done their homework on and figures to be a top option when they go on the clock this April.
At over 6-foot-1, 207 pounds, Kelee Ringo has the look of a cornerback Dallas targets. His speed and athleticism tested off the charts placing him in an elite tier of CB prospects this draft cycle.
Kelee Ringo’s tape isn’t clean but he has the type of raw ability the Dallas Cowboys obsess over making him a legit option early in the draft.
The Dallas Cowboys have a type when they look for cornerbacks. Whether is Dan Quinn running the defense, Kris Richard, or Rod Marinelli, they have a specific brand of player their looking for on the boundary and they’re not very shy about it.
Will McClay and the scouting department put tremendous stock in the measurables of draft prospects. Where most scouts say “trust the tape,” Dallas says “trust the measurements.” Length is critical for the Cowboys and if a cornerback doesn’t have the length to keep windows narrow on the boundary, he’s probably not very high on the Dallas Cowboys draft board.
Speed, quickness and explosiveness all play a significant factor in the Dallas Cowboys way of scouting and that’s why Kelee Ringo is likely on their short list for April.
Always interesting to look at the "Flying 20" data (second half of the 40-yard dash), especially at WR and CB.
— Dane Brugler (@dpbrugler) March 15, 2023
Top performers this year:
1.80 WR Bryce Ford-Wheaton
1.81 CB Christian Gonzalez, WR Trey Palmer
1.82 CB Emmanuel Forbes, CB Cory Trice
1.83 CB Kelee Ringo
Ringo entered the 2022 season as the CB to watch. His physical ability and ball skills were special and many scouts expected him to be the top CB in this draft. Buthe didn’t take the steps in his development many hoped he would in 2022 and now sits as a fringe 1-2 round player making him an option for Dallas in multiple scenarios.
A case could be made Ringo would be the most physically gifted CBs in the NFL on Day 1. He’s at his best playing the sideline. He excels in trail technique and single high safety looks. He can track and make plays on the ball and can match up against the biggest and fastest WRs.
Smaller and shiftier players he struggles with though. For a man his size, change of direction is understandable not his strength. He doesn’t turn his head naturally which limits his ball production but if he sees the ball he tracks and closes as good as anyone.
Ringo doesn’t have a ton of experience under his belt (two years starting) so further development could unlock him. Then again, he may never make that next step and be forced to lean on his physical tools to survive. That variance is why he’s an option late in the first round and maybe early in the second.
Kelee Ringo is the type of player the Dallas Cowboys love on paper. He’s tailor made for Cover 3 and fits most of Will McClay’s measurables (except oddly, he has shorter arms than one would expect). Honing in on early prospects, Ringo is likely on the Cowboys’ short list heading into the draft.