Dallas Cowboys host these top college prospects for visit ahead of NFL Draft
The NFL Draft is less than three weeks away, and the Dallas Cowboys are putting the finishing touches on their draft board before making 10 selections over three days in late April.
One of the final parts of the draft process includes welcoming in prospects for a visit to get a closer look at a player off the field and to give a player a preexisting level of comfort if he were to land in Dallas.
Per NFL rules, every team is allowed to host any player who graduated high school or college in the team’s metro area. For the Cowboys, that would obviously include the Metroplex. In addition to local prospects, every team can host 30 players who do not meet the local requirements, also known as a “30 visit” to a player.
As 30 visits are strictly kept under wraps to preserve draft strategy, only a few have been made public from the Cowboys’ list over the weekend. Here were the 14 reported names along with their expected draft selection:
- Arizona WR Tetairoa McMillan (first round)
Ohio State WR Emeka Egbuka (first round)
Texas OL Kelvin Banks Jr. (first round)
Texas A&M DE Shemar Stewart (first round)
Missouri WR Luther Burden III (first to second round)
North Carolina RB Omarion Hampton (first to second round)
East Carolina CB Shavon Revel Jr. (first to second round)
Arizona OL Jonah Savaiinaea (second round)
Ole Miss DT Walter Nolen (second round)
- Ohio State RB TreVeyon Henderson (second round)
- Ohio State RB Quinshon Judkins (second round)
- Texas S Andrew Mukuba (second round)
- Virginia Tech RB Bhayshul Tuten (third round)
- Texas DT Alfred Collins (third round)
Multiple insiders expect the Cowboys to take McMillan in the first round at No. 12 overall on April 24. Other options from the 30 visit listcould include Egbuka, Banks or Stewart, who all had representatives from the Cowboys in attendance for their Pro Day events last month.
In the second round, running back and cornerback take focus with guys like Revel, Henderson and Judkins. Regardless, Dallas is exploring all opportunities with the early list from the first two days of the draft.
“I will always have quite a bit of time with the guys,” head coach Brian Schottenheimer said about his involvement in the 30 visits. “I won’t be doing the football stuff. I’ll be doing more of the, ‘Hey, let’s sit down and talk. Let’s kind of just man-to-man visit. Let’s talk about life. Let’s talk about what interests you.’ If you look at it like a family, you better get to know the people that you’re adding to your family.”
Like most years, this draft class is also strong with local talent, as Dallas’ local day allowed the Cowboys to get a closer look at some top draft prospects at positions of need. The total number of visitors soared close to 50, but here are some of the top names from the draft that Dallas was able to see in person on Friday, April 4:
- Boise State RB Ashton Jeanty (first round)
- Texas Tech OL Caleb Rogers (second to third round)
- Texas QB Quinn Ewers (second to third round)
- TCU WR Savion Williams (third round)
- Miami RB Damien Martinez (third round)
- Oklahoma State RB Ollie Gordon II (third round)
- SMU RB/WR Brashard Smith (fifth round)
- Arkansas RB Ja’Quinden Jackson (sixth round)
- Cal S Craig Woodson (sixth round)
- Clemson S R.J. Mickens (sixth round)
Dallas will conduct its final draft meetings with the scouting department, coaching staff and front office in the coming weeks before gearing up for the first round of the draft on April 24.
