MOBILE, Ala. – He's not on their team, but the Cowboys will be sure to have an eye on Jacoby Brissett on Saturday at the Senior Bowl.
At 6-4, 231 pounds, the North Carolina State quarterback is awfully hard to miss – even if he's playing for the Cowboys' opposition in this weekend's all-star game.
During a week when all the attention has centered on North Dakota State's Carson Wentz, Brissett is one of a handful of intriguing other signal-callers in this draft class. If the two-year starter for the Wolfpack is perturbed about a lack of attention, you certainly wouldn't know it from his ear-to-ear grin.
"It's been fun," Brissett said earlier this week. "Being around a lot of these different guys, getting to know a lot of people, getting to experience the coaching experience from NFL coaches before you're actually on the team – so you get to learn how things are run. It's been fun."
Nobody's projecting Brissett – or any of the seven "other" quarterbacks in Mobile – as a first-round draft pick, as is the case with Wentz. So it's understandable that the FCS phenom is eating up the lion's share of the spotlight.
Brissett, who described leadership as his biggest strength, made an astute observation about the draft process when asked what he wanted to show during this week of practices.
"That I'm a leader of a team and I'm the quarterback that an organization wants behind their center – the guy that has the ball every play," he said. "It only takes one coach to like you, and that's my plan coming out here."
There's a lot to like when you watch him play. The West Palm Beach, Fla., native started 26 games for N.C. State after transferring from Florida. He's got prototypical size and a big arm, as he completed 60 percent of his passes for 2,662 yards and 20 touchdowns with six interceptions last season.
That's not to say he's perfect, considering he's seen by most as a Day 3 draft prospect. Evaluators say Brissett lacks top-notch accuracy, and his decision-making could use some work. Those are all questions the 23-year-old was confident he could answer.
"I just need to get better each and every day," he said. "Keep my mechanics tight and study the game – just go out there every opportunity I get to show my skills and just compete."
The Cowboys will have a good vantage point when Brissett gets his opportunity on Saturday afternoon. They'll be on the opposing sideline, and they'll no doubt be curious, even if Brissett is working against them. To hear it from him, the process of getting to know the various coaching staff and personnel departments this week in Mobile takes precedence over the reps themselves.
"I think that's the most important part – is the interview prep," he said. "This out here is obviously important, but everybody wants to see who everyone is and get to know everyone and make sure they're the person off the field that you want along with them on the field."
It's a safe bet that Brissett won't be in consideration for the Cowboys' oft-discussed No. 4 pick, as some are suggesting of Wentz. He likely won't be an option for their second-round pick, either. But for a team with a desperate need to improve its depth at quarterback, Brissett presents yet another option worth weighing.
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