• WR Cedric Tillman, Tennessee: The Cowboys already have three starting-caliber receivers on the roster — CeeDee Lamb, Brandin Cooks and Michael Gallup — but Tillman could produce in a niche role early in his career while amplifying Dallas' depth on the outside.
• TE Luke Schoonmaker, Michigan: Listed at 6-foot-5 and 251 pounds with a 4.63-second 40-yard dash, the former Michigan tight end has the physical traits to be a mismatch weapon in the passing game.
• RB Zach Evans, Ole Miss: Due to Dallas' proximity to the Texas Longhorns, many are longing for the Cowboys to grab the ultra-talented Bijan Robinson in Round 1. However, waiting to grab Evans in the middle rounds could be a better route.
Estimated reading time: 6 minutes
The NFL draft's mid-rounds (Rounds 3 and 4) have bore some fruit for the Dallas Cowboys recently, as the team has picked up contributors in Jake Ferguson, Osa Odighizuwa, Neville Gallimore, Tony Pollard, Michael Gallup and Dorance Armstrong since 2018.
The Cowboys hope to replicate that feat this year with the 90th (third round) and 129th (fourth round) overall picks. To keep things fair and realistic, each of the prospects listed below is ranked between 65th (beginning of the third round) and 135th (end of the fourth round) on PFF's big board.
WR Cedric Tillman, Tennessee
Even though many draft analysts tout Jalin Hyatt as the best Tennesse receiver in the 2023 draft, Tillman was Tennessee's best weapon for my money, as he wins in ways that translate better to the NFL.
Tennessee WR Cedric Tillman absorbing contact on this contested-catch in the endzone for a 28-yard score.
Tillman also gets the release with a hand-swipe. #NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/vGITx916nj
— WBG84 (@WBG84) April 18, 2023
Most of the top receiver prospects lack size, but Tillman checks in at an impressive 6-foot-3 and 213 pounds. And while he's not going to get confused with a speedster anytime soon, his 4.54-second 40-yard dash showed that he's not deficient in the speed department, either. Given his size, it's not surprising that Tillman is skilled in contested-catch situations, showing the ability to shield defenders with his body at the catch point. The Tennessee product ranks in the 92nd percentile in contested-catch percentage among WRs since 2021.
He is also an adept route-runner who can create separation against man and zone coverage (93rd percentile in separation percentage since 2021). Additionally, Tillman proved to be adept at defeating press coverage, which he faced on over 50% of his snaps on passing downs, pairing his physicality with impressive short-area agility and explosiveness.
The Cowboys already have three starting-caliber receivers on the roster — CeeDee Lamb, Brandin Cooks and Michael Gallup — but Tillman could produce in a niche role early in his career while amplifying Dallas' depth on the outside. He can also provide value as a big slot receiver who creates mismatches against smaller slot cornerbacks. The Cowboys don't really have a legitimate big-bodied target for Dak Prescott, but Tillman would fill that role quite well. Moreover, once Cooks moves on, Tillman can slide into one of the starting receiver spots on the outside when Lamb aligns in the slot.
WR A.T. Perry, Wake Forest
Dallas typically prefers receivers taller than 6 feet, and at 6-foot-3, Perry checks that box with ease. Moreover, his body type is eerily reminiscent of Lamb, who measured in at 6-foot-2 and 198 pounds with 32 3/4-inch arms and 9 1/4-inch hands at the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine (Perry measured in at 6-foot-3 and 195 pounds with 33 3/4-inch arms and 9 1/4-inch hands at the East-West Shrine Game).
Time for an AT Perry thread. He is one of “my guys”.
For my money, he’s the most accomplished deep threat in the draft.
Ball tracking is great, so are his ball skills but what pops most is his elite ability to generate separation on verts. #3PlayScouting pic.twitter.com/Ke1nTz22Ep
— Brett Whitefield (@BGWhitefield) April 17, 2023
Perry shows impressive flexibility in and out of his cuts, enabling him to run snappier routes than most receivers his height. He leverages those same traits to effectively defeat press coverage at the line of scrimmage, giving him a skill set that can win on the outside in the NFL — something that's important for any receiver Dallas adds this offseason due to Lamb's dominance from the slot. Moreover, Perry's size and 4.47-second 40-yard dash enable him to be a dangerous downfield threat who is capable of stretching the field and winning in contested situations.
Perry does have a bad habit of elevating his pad level going into his breaks, telegraphing his routes for the more astute cornerbacks, and he dropped eight passes during the 2022 season. Nonetheless, his ability to manipulate the pace of his routes to set up the cornerback without disrupting the timing of the passing concept should enable him to routinely create separation once he gets accustomed to the speed and physicality of the NFL.
Perry's outside skill set makes him a perfect complement to Lamb in Dallas' offense for the next decade.
TE Luke Schoonmaker, Michigan
Schoonmaker is an older prospect (24 years old) but is oozing NFL-caliber traits that make him an intriguing mid-round target.
Luke Schoonmaker? More like Luke Swoonmaker!
Bad jokes aside, Schoonmaker is a TE that's easy to fall in love with — he's big, he's athletic, and he's as hard-nosed a blocker as you'll find.
Anyone willing to meet Jack Campbell in the hole is a stud in my book. 🔊 on for this! pic.twitter.com/MorHnfE3B2
— Robert Schmitz (@robertkschmitz) April 17, 2023
Listed at 6-foot-5 and 251 pounds with a 4.63-second 40-yard dash, the former Michigan tight end has the physical traits to be a mismatch weapon in the passing game. He's not quite there yet, but subtle improvements as a route-runner and at the catch point could enable him to be a more productive receiver in the NFL than he ever was in college.
His elite athleticism (9.86 relative athletic score) gives him a sky-high pass-catching ceiling, as he has the speed to stretch the seam, the agility to create separation in and out of his breaks and the size combined with the leaping ability to present a mismatch even in contested-catch situations.
Luckily, while he develops as a pass-catcher, Schoonmaker has the blocking ability to make an impact immediately, showing a strong latch and impressive ability to create open running lanes on the edge. Schoonmaker is one of the few tight ends who is a capable blocker in both in-line and out in space, giving him the flexibility to be moved around the formation and still be a weapon in the running game.
Schoonmaker would complement Jake Ferguson and Peyton Hendershot on the Cowboys roster, giving the team a young, three-headed monster to lead the position into the future.
CB Cory Trice Jr., Purdue
Trice is one of the best cornerback fits for Dan Quinn's defensive scheme in Dallas. Given the frequency the Cowboys utilize Cover 1 and Cover 3, they highly value length, vertical speed and press ability in their cornerbacks. Trice checks each of those boxes.
6-3, 208 with 32 3/8-inch arms. Thrives in press and "silo" coverage. Fits DAL. pic.twitter.com/eeZCzbRdak
— John Owning (@JohnOwning) March 27, 2023
Measuring 6-foot-3 and 206 pounds with 32 3/4-inch arms, Trice is a massive cornerback who thrives in press-man coverage. In fact, there may not be a cornerback in this class who does a better job of landing their hands at the line of scrimmage than Trice. He pairs that with 4.47 speed to effortlessly match vertical routes down the field, where his notable length and ball skills enable him to be a menace at the catch point.
Even though he will need to improve his technique when playing off coverage, Trice brings an ability to press and defend the vertical route that should make him an enticing target for the Cowboys in the middle rounds of the draft. Moreover, Stephon Gilmore‘s presence will give Trice the time to develop into Trevon Diggs‘ running mate on the outside in Years 3 and beyond.
RB Zach Evans, Ole Miss
Due to Dallas' proximity to the Texas Longhorns, many are longing for the Cowboys to grab the ultra-talented Bijan Robinson in Round 1. However, waiting to grab Evans in the middle rounds could be a better route.
Zach Evans was the No. 2 RB in the 2020 class behind only Bijan. His college career was up and down, but the talent is there. Feels like we are lower on him than we should be. pic.twitter.com/5hbNxWKVWP
— Kyle Lindemann (@LuckIsMadeFF) April 13, 2023
Evans is an incredibly smooth runner who expertly toys with second-level defenders to set up his blocks and create big potential gains. Evans' patience, vision and burst enable him to consistently maximize his gains on zone runs, as he knows when to put his foot in the ground and burst vertically to take advantage of the defense's inferior angles of pursuit. Evans' 6.1 yards per attempt in 2022 ranked sixth among running backs in this year's draft class.
Evans' lack of production as a pass-catcher likely deflates his value some, but the Cowboys could take advantage and grab one of the most talented pure runners in the class during the mid-rounds, and Dallas has shown interest, as he was a part of the team's 30 official pre-draft visits. With some seasoning, Evans can become the bell cow in Dallas' backfield in Years 2-4.
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