INDIANAPOLIS — The NFL Combine powers on in downtown Indianapolis as Thursday served as the opening day for on-field drills for defensive linemen and linebackers while also serving as the media availability day for defensive backs and tight ends.
The media sessions allowed for more clarity on where the Dallas Cowboys could be putting their focus this week at the combine, as four cornerbacks communicated to DallasCowboys.com about having formal meetings with the team this week: Clemson's Nate Wiggins, Wake Forest's Caelen Carson, Georgia's Kamari Lassiter and Iowa State's T.J. Tampa.
Wiggins, who is projected to go in the first round by draft experts, smiled when he recalled the conversation he had with the Cowboys staff as they discussed defensive schemes from his days at Clemson and his nutrition at 6-foot-2, 185 pounds.
Carson is a day two option at cornerback that also has a lengthy profile at 6-foot-0, 195 pounds. He said his conversation with defensive backs coach Al Harris stood out from the many meetings he's had this week as they talked technique like he was "one of his players."
Lassiter has drawn comparisons to Jourdan Lewis with his ability to play in the nickel, but his outside ability also has teams circling his name on draft boards. He is scheduled to have his formal meeting with the Cowboys on Thursday night.
Tampa shined as one of the top defensive backs in the Big 12 last season for Iowa State, and it has his stock trending comfortably in the day two range. He said his conversation with the Cowboys was great, although he got to the meeting later than he wanted because of other combine responsibilities.
The approach towards formally meeting with potential day one and day two cornerbacks offers a little more clarity on how big of a priority that the Cowboys could be making the position group going into the draft process. They are set to see two starters at the position hit free agency in Stephon Gilmore and Jourdan Lewis.
The four formal meetings that were revealed on Thursday join eight other formal interviews on the defensive side of the ball including Michigan linebacker Junior Colson, Missouri linebacker Ty'Ron Hopper, Texas A&M linebacker Edgerrin Cooper, Texas A&M defensive tackle McKinnley Jackson, LSU defensive tackle Maason Smith, Michigan defensive tackle Kris Jenkins, Clemson defensive tackle Ruke Orhorhoro and Texas defensive tackle T'Vondre Sweat.
