Cowboys News: Dallas sets pre-draft visit with potential Dalton Schultz upgrade

All eyes are on the NFL Draft now that free company has taken a backseat after a chaotic first couple of weeks. The Dallas Cowboys maintain the No. 26 general decide, and there’s no telling which route they go after they addressed their foremost weaknesses by buying and selling for Brandin Cooks and Stephon Gilmore.

Drafting a good finish within the first spherical is a polarizing topic given the unfriendly returns. Almost the entire league’s premier tight ends have been drafted in Spherical 2 or past, however Dallas can afford to pick out a Dalton Schultz alternative early after he inked a modest one-year cope with the Texans as a free agent.

A number of Cowboys speaking heads have pointed to Georgia’s Darnell Washington as their supreme goal for the No. 26 decide ought to they go tight finish.

Utah’s Dalton Kincaid and Notre Dame’s Michael Mayer are different potential targets, however Washington’s freakish athleticism and general upside as a pass-catcher, blocker, and creating yards after the catch make him worthy of a first-round decide regardless that there’s room for growth.

With that, Cowboys followers will certainly love listening to the previous Bulldog is without doubt one of the workforce’s official top-30 pre-draft visits.

Georgia TE Darnell Washington joins Cowboys record of top-30 visits

Extremely, Washington’s bizarro measureables don’t do any justice to how ginormous he’s. At 6-foot-7 and 270 kilos, the Georgia product can function a sixth offensive lineman — basically a deal with — who can get busy within the passing sport and make defenders miss after the catch within the open area.

Washington solely caught 45 passes final season, however he compelled 14 missed tackles and averaged 7.5 yards after the catch per reception, based on PFF. He additionally logged 17.2 yards per catch over his three years in Athens. What the 21-year-old lacks in goal quantity he greater than makes up for in splash performs.

Listed below are a few of Washington’s finest highlights at Georgia.

Washington seemingly will get extra snug as a pass-catcher with time, however his upside is simple, as evidenced by that spotlight montage. The place he tasks to be a direct stud, nevertheless, is as a run-blocker, as evidenced by his 81.3 run-blocking grade in 2022, through PFF. Not unhealthy for a “uncooked” prospect.

It shouldn’t be glossed over that Dallas additionally met with Drew Sanders. Taking off-ball linebackers within the first spherical is sort of the equal of drafting operating backs within the first spherical, however Sanders is a professional top-32 prospect.

Sanders works sideline-to-sideline with out breaking a sweat and rushes the quarterback like an EDGE, the place he performed at Alabama earlier than transferring to Arkansas. In 2022, he compiled 63 tackles, 39 pressures and 11 sacks.

The previous Razorback feels unlikely to taken at No. 26 general however it speaks volumes Dallas is doing its due diligence on the easiest the 2023 draft has to supply.

Washington, alternatively, appears in play in Spherical 1.