(Editor's Note: With two weeks until the start of the 2016 NFL Draft on April 28, the staff of DallasCowboys.com intends to preview the landscape of possible Cowboys draft picks – from the top of the first round to the bottom of the talent pool. Today's featured player is Louisiana Tech running back Kenneth Dixon.)
Name: Kenneth Dixon
Position: Running Back
College: Louisiana Tech
Height/Weight:5-10/215
Honors: Dixon made All-Conference USA in three of his four seasons at Louisiana Tech, earning first-team honors as a senior.
Key Stat: Dixon became Louisiana Tech's all-time leading rusher in his junior season and finished his college career with 87 combined touchdowns, one shy of the NCAA record.
Where He's Projected: Most mock drafts view Dixon in the second- to third-round range as one of the best running back prospects in a 2016 class that includes Ohio State's Ezekiel Elliott and Alabama's Derrick Henry.
How He Helps the Cowboys: The Cowboys' coaching staff got to know Dixon a little while coaching the North squad during Senior Bowl week. Certainly doesn't mean he'll get drafted by Dallas, but running back is a possibility for the Cowboys at some point in the draft – even with the recent free-agent signing of veteran Alfred Morris. Lance Dunbar, back on a one-year deal, could start the season on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list as he continues to recover from last year's knee injury. A rookie running back could compete for a role in the running back rotation behind Darren McFadden and Morris.[embeddedad0]
Scout's Take: Thick build. Quickness and balance. Catches the ball well on the move. Can make defender miss. Works hard to finish. Running style all over the place. Plays with explosive quickness. Start-stop quickness. Hard to tackle. Aware cut blocker on the edge. Vision to see the holes. Runs tough. Can get to second level in a hurry, able to work around the corner. Can bounce the ball to the outside and not get caught. Spin move to get space. Can make plays in the passing game down field. Plays with upper and lower body power. Shows the ability to carry the ball wherever he needs to go. Does a nice job of keeping his pads down. Playmaker. Has the traits of those running backs that never come off the field. – Bryan Broaddus
