FRISCO, Texas – The due diligence continues for the Cowboys' brain trust.
Last week, it was executive vice president of player personnel Will McClay and defensive coordinator Dan Quinn scouting cornerbacks at Alabama and South Carolina.
On Tuesday, it was Cowboys' coach Mike McCarthy's turn to travel. Ohio State held a star-studded Pro Day in Columbus, and McCarthy joined Quinn as two of many NFL heavy hitters to take in the proceedings.
Pinpointing a Cowboys' target in Columbus might be a little bit trickier than it was in Tuscaloosa or Columbia, though. Ohio State is sending a bunch of prospects to the 2021 NFL Draft, but most of them – with the obvious exception of quarterback Justin Fields – don't look likely to be drafted in the Top 10.
With their quarterback situation secure, it's a good bet McCarthy and Quinn were looking at down-the-line prospects for Day 2 and Day 3 of the draft – including a handful of intriguing defenders.
So, who might the Cowboys be looking at? Here are some names to know.
- LB Baron Browning
Browning didn't take over as a full-time starter until later in his career, and he only made 29 tackles during a shortened 2020 season. Still, his impressive athleticism make him a likely Day 2 draft pick. Browning backed that up on Tuesday by running the 40-yard dash with times of 4.53 and 4.56, and he put up an impressive 40-inch vertical leap, as well. - OL Wyatt Davis
Interior offensive line doesn't seem like a gigantic need in this draft cycle, but Davis is one of the better options in this class. Davis went through offensive line drills to show off the strength of his rehabbed knee, which he said he injured during the 2020 season. He also did 25 reps of 225 pounds in the bench press.
- LB Pete Werner
Usually viewed as the lesser athlete of he and Browning, Werner put up some solid numbers of his own on Tuesday. He ran the 40 in 4.60 seconds, and he had nice jumps – a vertical of 39.5 inches and a broad of 10-feet, 2 inches.
Werner is seen by many as a fringe Day 3 prospect, but an impressive workout like this could help him jump up into the third round. - DT Tommy Togiai
Togiai is billed as one of the strongest players in this draft class, and he set out to prove that with 40 reps on the bench press – a number he said he was actually disappointed with. Togiai also reportedly had a vertical leap of 32 inches, with a broad jump of 8-feet, 9 inches. If the Cowboys are looking to bolster their defensive tackle depth, Togiai could be a Day 2 option.
That's not the end of the list. Likely Day 3 defensive end Jonathan Cooper worked out, as did linebacker Tuf Borland and running back Trey Sermon, who broke out for the Buckeyes during the 2020 postseason.
With so many names worth considering, it's not exactly surprising two of the Cowboys' biggest decision makers were on hand to evaluate.
