Recommended Cowboys Pre-Draft Visits (sorted)

[Nation]

Why Do We Care: Over the last eight years, seven of the Cowboys' eight top picks in the draft all visited Valley Ranch as part of the Cowboys' official pre-draft visits, with Claiborne being the one outlier. The Cowboys drafted 5 players in 2013 that visited with the team: Frederick, TWill, Wilcox, Webb, and Randle. They also had in eventual UDFA signings Jakar Hamilton, Brandon Magee, Kendial Lawrence, Taylor Reed, Lanear Sampson and Devin Smith.

What Can We Learn From Past Drafts: In 2013 they brought in every top interior offensive line prospect, the top safety prospects, and several of the top WR prospects. It really looks like 2013 was a year where the board did them no favors, as all of their 1st round grades were scooped in advance of their 1st round pick, all of their 2nd round grades in advance of their 2nd round pick, and so on. But they were able to land Frederick who was the last OL remaining of the five they had in for visits, and drafted Williams when every receiver they had visit other than DeAndre Hopkins had been scooped up.
2012 becomes tougher to judge as they had Barron, Gilmore, Poe, Cox, Brockers, Kirkpatrick, and DeCastro all in for visits. It seems from that the initial goal was take the BPA when the board game to them, but instead they moved up for Claiborne. They had also invited 4 other offensive linemen that went between picks 40 and 55, which is likely where that 2nd rounder used for Claiborne would have gone to.
In 2011 they had invited every single offensive lineman who was drafted in the 1st Round as well as Von Miller, JJ Watt, and Prince Amukamara. They also had 4 linebackers in for visits who went between picks 40-72. Perhaps not surprisingly they went OL first round and LB second round.

Who Has Visited This Year And Where Are They Ranked:

First Half of First Round Visits
Aaron Donald, DL, Pittsburgh (Visit)
Anthony Barr, LB, UCLA (Visit)

Second Half of First Round Visits
Zack Martin, OL, Notre Dame (Visit)
Kony Ealy, DL, Missouri (Visit)

Late First/Second Round Picks
Timmy Jernigan, DL, Florida State (Visit)
Scott Crichton, DL, Oregon State (Visit)
Ryan Shazier, LB, Ohio State (Visit)

Second/Third Round Picks
Gabe Jackson, OL, Mississippi State (Visit)
Cyril Richardson, OL, Baylor (Private workout)
Demarcus Lawrence, LB, Boise State (Visit)
Kareem Martin, DL, North Carolina (Visit)
Dominique Easley, DL, Florida (Visit)
Bashaud Breeland,CB, Clemson (Private workout)
Jimmie Ward, S, Northern Illinois (Visit)

Third/Fourth Round Picks
Josh Huff, WR, Oregon (Visit)
Billy Turner, OL, North Dakota State (Visit, Private workout)
Walt Aikens, CB, Liberty (Private workout)
Lamarcus Joyner, CB, Florida State (Visit)
C.J. Fiedorowicz, TE, Iowa (Private workout)

Third to Fifth Round Picks
Aaron Murray, QB, Georgia (N/A)
Mike Davis, WR, Texas (Visit)
Will Clarke, DL, West Virginia (Visit)

Sixth Rounders to UFAs
Garrett Gilbert, QB, SMU (Visit)
Casey Pachall, QB, TCU (Visit)
J.C. Copeland, RB, LSU (Private workout)
Davon Coleman, DL, Arizona State (Visit)
Chris Whaley, DL, Texas (Visit)
Jerrod Black, DL, Southeast Louisiana State (Visit)
Ken Bishop, DL,Northern Illinois (Visit)
Howard Jones, LB, Shepherd (Private workout)
Demetri Goodson, CB, Baylor (Private workout)
Brandon Dixon, CB, Northwest Missouri (Visit)

​

What Does This Mean: I took the player grades from WalterFootball. Of the 7 players with potential 1st Round Grades, there are 5 Defensive Linemen or Edge Rushers, 1 OT, and 1 LB. Of the 14 players with 2nd Round or Higher Grades, 8 are DL or Edge Rushers, 3 are OL, 1 is a LB, 1 is a Corner, and 1 is a Safety. So if you want to play the current odds, and unless the board goes drastically in or out of their favor, you can take your chances on the Cowboys coming out of the first round with a defensive lineman, and the second with an interior offensive lineman.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

Props!

Very well done.

Lots of time and effort.

 

[big dog cowboy]

So if you want to play the current odds, and unless the board goes drastically in or out of their favor, you can take your chances on the Cowboys coming out of the first round with a defensive lineman, and the second with an interior offensive lineman.

I approve of this.

Awesome work!

 

[BrAinPaiNt]

Rock the Nation-Montrose

 

[hendog]

Awesome post....thanks for the hard work!

 

[waving monkey]

well done appreciate th effort

 

[rkell87]

you are missing paul richardson. I have a theory that they are looking for a deep threat and that mike davis didn't impress them and that's why they brought in richardson after all those guys on your list.

 

[Nirvana]

Great work.

Three names I think they have underrated are Easley, Ward and Lawrence.

 

[Nation]

you are missing paul richardson. I have a theory that they are looking for a deep threat and that mike davis didn't impress them and that's why they brought in richardson after all those guys on your list.

Did that visit ever actually happen? Brandt had talked of it being something that would happen, but I didn't see any confirmed reports.

 

[Nation]

Great work.

Three names I think they have underrated are Easley, Ward and Lawrence.

I would tend to agree. I think they'd be doing cartwheels in Valley Rance if they could get two of those three players with their 2nd and 3rd rounders

 

[IrishAnto]

Thank you for the post, great work.

 

[BulletBob]

Great work. Interesting ... not a single RB on that list.

 

[Questfor6]

I think Frank Pollack put Trai Turner through a private workout after the LSU pro day like Gary Brown did with Copeland. Might not be 100% accurate though

 

[JohnnyHopkins]

2012 becomes tougher to judge as they had Barron, Gilmore, Poe, Cox, Brockers, Kirkpatrick, and DeCastro all in for visits. It seems from that the initial goal was take the BPA when the board game to them, but instead they moved up for Claiborne. They had also invited 4 other offensive linemen that went between picks 40 and 55, which is likely where that 2nd rounder used for Claiborne would have gone to.

I was pretty bummed about moving up for Claiborne, especially when they could have had Brockers in the first and guys like Alshon Jeffery, Peter Konz and Bobby Wagner in round 2. Please no trade ups this year!

 

[DBOY3141]

I think Frank Pollack put Trai Turner through a private workout after the LSU pro day like Gary Brown did with Copeland. Might not be 100% accurate though

I think Callahan did the workout, but either way, looks like they are really interested.

 

[jobberone]

Thanks for a great job! Lotta work there.

If they can get Easley in the 2nd I'll do a cartwheel then call you from the ambulance. Lawrence in the third would make me happy. TBH, and I'll catch heck for this probably, I'd drop back in the first and take Easley in the latter first round if Donald is gone. I'd actually prefer Easley to Donald although I'd have trouble using #16 on him despite feeling that way.

 

[Sandyf]

Good post but obvisously ranking change board to board. I see some have Lawrence as a potential late 1st round now and Easley as a high 2nd round now. I think these are the two top targets and believe Dallas will try to get both if they can move down in the first. I trade with Cleveland for #26, #71 and #83 could work. Take Lawrence at #26 then trade #47 and #83 to move up in the 2nd and take Easley. Have a feeling both Jackson and Richardson are going to fall anyway.

 

[Fla Cowpoke]

I would tend to agree. I think they'd be doing cartwheels in Valley Rance if they could get two of those three players with their 2nd and 3rd rounders

Yeah, I don't see it happening....almost all the listed 2nd/3rd rounders will be gone in the second. Maybe Kareem Martin in the third. I am still thinking I would like to see a trade back for Jernigan or Crichton to get another pick in that second to third round area.

 

[rkell87]

Did that visit ever actually happen? Brandt had talked of it being something that would happen, but I didn't see any confirmed reports.

it was reported but you are right, I never saw the team confirm it.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

This was a really great post and very much appreciated Nation. Gonna suck out loud when Jerry trades up for Johnny Football or takes the TE again.