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The Dallas Cowboys appear to be set with their wide receiver corps when pondering the depth chart for 2019. Amari Cooper aims to build on his stellar first season with the team and second year player Michael Gallup looks to take the next step in his game. On top of that, the Cowboys recently signed Randall Cobb to a one-year contract worth $5 million. That rounds out the projected starting lineup for Dallas in 2019.
But an interesting development heading into the draft is that the Cowboys are keeping a close watch on the 2019 receiver class. It makes sense, considering that Cobb, Tavon Austin and Allen Hurns are all out of contract after the season. Cooper is expected to get an extension, but for now he’s in the same category of expiring deals. With the futures of these players unknown, the team is keeping tabs on the young crop of receivers in the draft, to secure their future at the position.
Related
7 positions Cowboys still need to address in 2019 offseason
As expected 30 official visitors, Dallas plans to meet with South Carolina receiver Deebo Samuel, Missouri’s Emanuel Hall and Mecole Hardman from Georgia. Cowboys Wire has gotten in depth about Samuel’s usage in the South Carolina offense and how he fits with Dallas. He projects to be a flexible player at the next level pulling double duties as a Z and slot receiver on offense, and also provides value as a special teams ace as a productive return man.
South Carolina's Deebo Samuel and Missouri's Emanuel Hall have already been confirmed as Cowboys pre-draft visitors, and you can now add another wide receiver: Georgia WR Mecole Hardman.
Interesting to see the number of receivers getting a look from the Cowboys.
— Bobby Belt (@BobbyBeltTX) March 29, 2019
Samuel’s inclusion as a 30 visit for the Cowboys is not surprising. He has been touted as a good receiving prospect in the scouting community and he is expected to be within reach for the team at pick No. 58 in the second round. However, it is the inclusion of players like Hall and Hardman that confirm the team is thinking hard about their receiver corps heading into the future.
Emanuel Hall
Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Hall is not considered to get much use from the slot position. According to Pro Football Focus’ 2019 Draft Guide, Hall only received two receptions out of the slot in his entire four-year collegiate career. So he is not in serious consideration to be drafted for that reason, but he stands out drastically in various other receiving categories.
PFF’s yards per route run metric ranks Hall at No. 2 among college wideouts at 4.14. This measures how many yards he was responsible for when running a route on offense. It is very much a usage stat, and Hall was responsible for contributing a lot for the Mizzou passing offense. In addition, he was an efficient target downfield. On targets that traveled 20 yards or more through the air Hall drew a passer rating of 132.2, ranking No.6 among all college receivers.
Some concerns keeping Hall out of first and even second-round consideration in some circles is his catching ability. He is not a true hands catcher, often times hauling in passes with his body. PFF also had him ranked as a below average receiver in terms of drop rate at 9.8 percent. Another aspect of concern is his injury history. Having suffered multiple lower body injuries, particularly to his hamstrings.
All of that considered, Hall serves as an intriguing draft prospect for the Cowboys due to his 6-foot-1, 201 pound frame and 4.39 speed at the position relative to his deep receiving production. He is expected to be drafted between the late second to third round range, but if he can be had in the fourth round he will provide some excellent value.
Mecole Hardman
Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
Hardman’s projection in the NFL is a bit mirkier than Hall’s. He is still very much learning the nuances of the wide receiver position even as he enters the 2019 NFL Draft. He played quarterback in high school and transitioned to cornerback during his freshmen year at Georgia. He began to produce as a wide receiver in the 2017 college season and over his four-year collegiate career he picked up 966 yards on 93 targets. Not a lot of production, but the good news is that he managed to improve from season to season in terms of usage.
Football scout Dane Brugler of The Athletic had this to say about Hardman, who appears at No.95 on his Top 100 Prospects,
If the Cowboys decide to go with an edge rusher, cornerback or safety at pick No.58 than a player like Hardman can serve as a someone to watch in rounds three to four. He is a developmental prospect as he is still raw in some areas, but if the Cowboys miss out on a player like Samuel, than Hardman can serve as a similar player on offense and special teams. He is slight at 5-foot-10, 187 pounds, but his straight line speed of 4.33 ranks in the 95 percentile among NFL wide receivers; blazing speed.
The fact Dallas is taking a closer look at multiple receiving prospects ahead of the draft is just the front-office being responsible. Since they have some receivers that are set come off the books by the end of the 2019 season, it is smart to look at the future at the wide receiver. Players like Samuel and Hardman both have similar roles that they can occupy on a team, and Hall has a lot of potential as a deep threat. Dallas’ interests at wide receiver are certainly varied and they are covering some serious ground as they try to improve their passing attack.
Gallery
Cowboys 7-round Mock Draft: March 22, 2019
Continue reading...
But an interesting development heading into the draft is that the Cowboys are keeping a close watch on the 2019 receiver class. It makes sense, considering that Cobb, Tavon Austin and Allen Hurns are all out of contract after the season. Cooper is expected to get an extension, but for now he’s in the same category of expiring deals. With the futures of these players unknown, the team is keeping tabs on the young crop of receivers in the draft, to secure their future at the position.
Related
7 positions Cowboys still need to address in 2019 offseason
As expected 30 official visitors, Dallas plans to meet with South Carolina receiver Deebo Samuel, Missouri’s Emanuel Hall and Mecole Hardman from Georgia. Cowboys Wire has gotten in depth about Samuel’s usage in the South Carolina offense and how he fits with Dallas. He projects to be a flexible player at the next level pulling double duties as a Z and slot receiver on offense, and also provides value as a special teams ace as a productive return man.
South Carolina's Deebo Samuel and Missouri's Emanuel Hall have already been confirmed as Cowboys pre-draft visitors, and you can now add another wide receiver: Georgia WR Mecole Hardman.
Interesting to see the number of receivers getting a look from the Cowboys.
— Bobby Belt (@BobbyBeltTX) March 29, 2019
Samuel’s inclusion as a 30 visit for the Cowboys is not surprising. He has been touted as a good receiving prospect in the scouting community and he is expected to be within reach for the team at pick No. 58 in the second round. However, it is the inclusion of players like Hall and Hardman that confirm the team is thinking hard about their receiver corps heading into the future.
Emanuel Hall
Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Hall is not considered to get much use from the slot position. According to Pro Football Focus’ 2019 Draft Guide, Hall only received two receptions out of the slot in his entire four-year collegiate career. So he is not in serious consideration to be drafted for that reason, but he stands out drastically in various other receiving categories.
PFF’s yards per route run metric ranks Hall at No. 2 among college wideouts at 4.14. This measures how many yards he was responsible for when running a route on offense. It is very much a usage stat, and Hall was responsible for contributing a lot for the Mizzou passing offense. In addition, he was an efficient target downfield. On targets that traveled 20 yards or more through the air Hall drew a passer rating of 132.2, ranking No.6 among all college receivers.
Some concerns keeping Hall out of first and even second-round consideration in some circles is his catching ability. He is not a true hands catcher, often times hauling in passes with his body. PFF also had him ranked as a below average receiver in terms of drop rate at 9.8 percent. Another aspect of concern is his injury history. Having suffered multiple lower body injuries, particularly to his hamstrings.
All of that considered, Hall serves as an intriguing draft prospect for the Cowboys due to his 6-foot-1, 201 pound frame and 4.39 speed at the position relative to his deep receiving production. He is expected to be drafted between the late second to third round range, but if he can be had in the fourth round he will provide some excellent value.
Mecole Hardman
Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
Hardman’s projection in the NFL is a bit mirkier than Hall’s. He is still very much learning the nuances of the wide receiver position even as he enters the 2019 NFL Draft. He played quarterback in high school and transitioned to cornerback during his freshmen year at Georgia. He began to produce as a wide receiver in the 2017 college season and over his four-year collegiate career he picked up 966 yards on 93 targets. Not a lot of production, but the good news is that he managed to improve from season to season in terms of usage.
Football scout Dane Brugler of The Athletic had this to say about Hardman, who appears at No.95 on his Top 100 Prospects,
“Overall, Hardman is undersized and unrefined, but he is a phenomenal athlete with the speed and suddenness in space to develop into an impact slot receiver and return man for an NFL team willing to be patient with his skill set.”
If the Cowboys decide to go with an edge rusher, cornerback or safety at pick No.58 than a player like Hardman can serve as a someone to watch in rounds three to four. He is a developmental prospect as he is still raw in some areas, but if the Cowboys miss out on a player like Samuel, than Hardman can serve as a similar player on offense and special teams. He is slight at 5-foot-10, 187 pounds, but his straight line speed of 4.33 ranks in the 95 percentile among NFL wide receivers; blazing speed.
The fact Dallas is taking a closer look at multiple receiving prospects ahead of the draft is just the front-office being responsible. Since they have some receivers that are set come off the books by the end of the 2019 season, it is smart to look at the future at the wide receiver. Players like Samuel and Hardman both have similar roles that they can occupy on a team, and Hall has a lot of potential as a deep threat. Dallas’ interests at wide receiver are certainly varied and they are covering some serious ground as they try to improve their passing attack.
Gallery
Cowboys 7-round Mock Draft: March 22, 2019
Continue reading...
