6 Cowboys Draft Targets to Watch at the NFL Combine

4. T'vondre Sweat, DT, Texas

Micah Parsons said it best when he stated the Cowboys needed someone in the middle of their defense that was nasty. They seemed to have done just that when they selected Mazi Smith in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft but then they decided to come up with some deranged plan to have him lose weight. In a surprise to no one outside of the organization, this was a colossal failure and made Smith look like a bust.

There's been no word on how they will approach this going forward but if they decide to keep Smith as a 3-tech, then they'll need someone who can eat up blockers and shut down the opposing run game. One prospect who can do this is T'vondre Sweat of Texas.

Sweat is massive at 6-foot-4 and 350 pounds and was one of the best run defenders in the nation. He finished his senior season with 45 tackles, eight of which went for a loss. He has a first step that jumps off the tape and will get into the backfield in a hurry. Having said that, there are concerns about his motor and overall consistency.

The larger concern comes down to his snap count. Sweat isn't likely to be a three-down starter which is why he's not considered a day-one pick. Still, for the Cowboys, he could make a lot of sense as a target in Round 2. Even if he doesn't play on third down, Sweat can make sure your defense gets into passing situations that Micah Parsons and company can take advantage of.