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The Cowboys will likely select a wide receiver in one of the later rounds in the draft. Let's take a look at some of those candidates and what the scouts had to say about them.
I firmly believe that a wide receiver should be selection for every team just about every single year. You never know when you may find the next Jerry Rice, I won't use Miles Austin for obvious hamstrung reasons. The Cowboys have taken a wide receiver in every draft since 2008, and have taken one in all but ten drafts over their 55 year history.
Dallas also could use another receiver to fill the vacated spot of return-man Dwayne Harris, who defected to the rival New York Giants during the free agency period last month. It's unlikely that the Cowboys take one in either the first or second rounds. With the plethora of receivers entering this year's draft, let's take a look at few mid to late round prospects that could be on the Cowboys radar.
Justin Hardy, 5'10 192 lbs, East Carolina
Not the speediest of receivers, but maybe one of the smartest players overall. He's a very decisive player that mainly dealt with punt-return duties in college. Hardy has the ability to make violent cuts and accelerate pretty quickly. He's also got steady hands and was the most productive receiver in FBS history with 387 catches for over 4,500 yards. He plays with a sense of urgency and is a really detailed-oriented hard-working athlete. He's a bit undersized and not necessarily a home run threat but he can sure block in the running game. He always seems to get open and has a large catching radius. If the Cowboys are interested, it'll likely cost a third round pick.
Chris Conley, 6'1 213 lbs, Georgia
Conley is already on the radar of the coaches at Valley Ranch, he's officially scheduled a private workout as well. Unlike Hardy, Conley is lightning-fast and has good hands too. He's big with a superb range of motion and acceleration to him. In college, Conley averaged a whopping 18.2 YPC and was seemingly constantly open all over the field. He's got excellent eyes to track the ball in the air and nice leaping ability to catch it at the highest point. He's a great return-man replacement for Harris. Conley will certainly need to add a bit more muscle to his thin-frame but he's a relentless competitor and has very high character marks. Conley could go in the late-third but is more likely a fourth round pick.
Kenny Bell, 6'1 197 lbs, Nebraska
Bell is another return specialist with an average of 25 yards per try in college. Like Conley, he accelerates quickly and can be down the field in a flash. He's a very instinctive type of receiver who knows how to break at the right time to get open. He's an above average blocker who is really good at coverage on special teams. He can adjust to off-target throws in order to secure the catch. Like Conley too, Bell needs a bit more bulk to him. He can be a bit wiry at times and needs to settle down. Nonetheless he's quite strong for his size and has a great attitude. Bell is currently projected as a fourth round selection.
Darius Davis, 5'11 226 lbs, Henderson State
Davis is another surprisingly quick receiver with good hands and ultimately great quickness. He's a bit too heavy though and can stand to lose about 15 pounds. However his production is hard to argue with, He was selected as a First-Team All-American for 2014. He had 1,281 receiving yards and 18 touchdowns with a staggering 22.5 YPC average. He also holds the record for his school with 179 catches for 3,686 yards and 47 touchdowns. History suggests that Davis could blossom into more than just a kick-returner but he needs to get into better shape for the NFL. Davis was in attendance at Dallas Day being a Frisco native, but looks to go sixth to seventh round or possibly undrafted.
Ty Montgomery, 6'0 221 lbs, Stanford
Montgomery came from a pro-style offense which is always a plus. He's another quick accelerator with decent hands and route running skills. Like Dez Bryant, Montgomery plays with aggression and can fight for the ball rather well. He's a tough guy both physically and mentally with the great-catch ability. Montgomery also is pretty effective as a return-man with the ability to cut and move but always keep his eyes up-field. He can turn and go with a natural burst but doesn't have much lateral agility. Montgomery could use a little bit more explosiveness to his game and has a tendency to drop passes. However, he's got some good traits that can hopefully transition well in the NFL with proper coaching. Ty Montgomery is likely to be a fifth rounder and reportedly visited Dallas on Friday.
Vernon Johnson, 6'0 196 lbs, Texas A&M Commerce
Add Johnson to the list of guys visiting with the Cowboys. He's a big bodied receiver that many teams in the league covet these days. He has impressive 20-yard split speed, showing routinely his ability to flat-out beat the competition. Vernon has excellent foot-quickness and and equally impressive second gear. His hands are great and rarely drops anything his way. He's an extremely dangerous after-the-catch runner where his opponent is likely to eat some turf. He was a very impressively dominant receiver in college with a smooth fluidity to his game. He'll most definitely need some polish to his vertical routes and to fight for the extra yardage instead of welcoming hits. Johnson has the will-power and physical nature to up the ante in the NFL. Did I mention he was also a superb kick-returner, should only help his status. I can see a team taking a flyer on him as early as the fifth round, but could a seventh round guy due to lack of competition.
There are plenty of receivers toward the top of the list but each of these are reportedly on the Cowboys short-list. Dallas doesn't have the need to take one early and the class overall is fantastic. Look for one of these possibly guys donning the star next season.
Poll
Which wide-out intrigues you most?
- Justin Hardy
- Chris Conley
- Ty Montgomery
- Vernon Johnson
- Darius Davis
- Kenny Bell
45 votes | Results
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