BUY or SELL: Latest Dallas Cowboys NFL Draft Rumors | Is Dallas IN On Rueben Bain Jr.?

Summary

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Locked On Cowboys - Episode Summary

Episode Title: BUY or SELL: Latest Dallas Cowboys NFL Draft Rumors | Is Dallas IN On Rueben Bain Jr.?

Date: April 10, 2026
Hosts: Marcus Mosher, Landon McCool
Podcast Network: Locked On Podcast Network

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Overview

In this rumor-filled pre-draft episode, hosts Marcus Mosher and Landon McCool dig into the latest swirling around the Dallas Cowboys as the 2026 NFL Draft approaches. With persistent chatter about potential trades, top defensive prospects, injury red flags, and linebacker pecking orders, the duo plays "Buy or Sell" on notable rumors while offering sharp insights and inside reporting about Dallas’s front office thinking.

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Key Episode Topics & Discussions

1. Are the Cowboys Really Targeting a Trade-Up for Rueben Bain Jr. or Caleb Downs?

Segment Start: [01:12]

• Background: ESPN’s Jordan Reid reported the Cowboys may trade up for edge Reuben Bain or safety Caleb Downs, viewing both as “instant-impact game changers.”
• Insider Response:
  • Marcus and Landon buy the Cowboys’ interest in trading up for an impact defender but sell the idea that Bain is specifically the “target.”
    • Quote:
      • Marcus: “That I believe. 100%.” (on Cowboys wanting to trade up for impact defenders) [02:40]
      • Landon: “But, you know, it is a little bit counter to what we've heard. I wouldn't be shocked if they're going up, they weren't going up for someone else specifically.” [02:45]
• On Caleb Downs:
  • Marcus questions whether the Cowboys actually view Downs as a trade-up candidate or if the names are “smoke” to mislead outsiders.
    • Quote:
      • “I'm wondering if Jordan Reid heard that the Cowboys wanted to trade up and the Cowboys maybe put out a couple names to throw off the scent a little bit.” [03:26]
    • Suggests other potential true targets: “Sunny Styles and Monsoon Delane.” [03:32]

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2. Parsing the Cowboys’ Real Interest in Rueben Bain Jr.

Segment Start: [05:29]

• Mixed Information:

  • Both hosts aren’t convinced Dallas is “all in” on Bain, citing “mixed things” from inside sources.
    • Landon notes information changes quickly during draft meetings.
    • Marcus shares that as of April 10, the first full draft meeting (with all scouts/coaches) just happened, focused on edge rushers.
      • Quote:
        • “Until you get all those guys together in the room, I don't know if you can come to a consensus opinion.” [06:45]
  • Marcus: “My gut just tells me that they like the player, but they don’t love him. And I don’t think he’s an automatic pick at 12.” [08:17]

• Position Fit:

  • Debate over Bain’s best NFL position—with some teams viewing him as a 3-technique DT rather than edge.
    • Landon: “I think for me I would keep him at edge…a full time conversion to defensive tackle…he's a big weight outlier there.” [09:00]
    • Marcus: “If the idea is that you’re drafting him to be like your starting 3 tech, I think that’s foolish.” [09:39]
  • Both prefer his fit as a movable edge, ala Melvin Ingram “moving around a little bit.” [09:39]

• Take: They are selling the notion Dallas would specifically trade up for Bain, but buying Dallas is open to an impact player trade-up. [10:17-10:35]

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3. Is Dallas “Out” on Injured Cornerback Javad McCoy?

Segment Start: [12:00]

• Rumor: Per Nick Harris (Fort Worth Star-Telegram), Cowboys unlikely to consider McCoy at picks 12 or 20, due to worries about recovery from his ACL injury.

  • Landon: “Yes, I am [buying].” [12:48]

• Concerns Outlined:

  • Despite a flashy 4.40 forty time at his pro day, absence of competitive reps, missing Senior Bowl, and limited movement work signals greater issues.
    • Landon: “All he did was run a 40…It’s not that the length of time [in recovery] bothers me. It’s what that means.” [13:51, 18:12]
    • Marcus: “We got video a week before his pro day…he was going about 75% and it was very limited.” [15:07]
  • McCoy’s recovery lag has spooked the Dallas staff (especially considering Dallas’s renowned medical team/head doctor).
    • Marcus: “If the Cowboys are out on this guy because of his knee, I would not be shocked if a bunch of teams are.” [16:19]

• Cowboys’ Draft Philosophy at Corner:

  • Discuss history of ACL at CB (referencing Trayvon Diggs’s decline after injury).
    • Marcus: “I always worry about cornerbacks who have these major injuries…I just get scared.” [17:06]

• Alternative Plans:

  • Mention 30-visits from promising “second tier” corners (Colton Hood, Chris Johnson, Brandon C. Say, Avion Terrell) and the likelihood Dallas will pivot away from McCoy and top-12 CB candidates.

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4. Cowboys’ True Preferences at Linebacker—Jacob Rodriguez vs. C.J. Allen & Anthony Hill

Segment Start: [23:18]

• Rumor: Clarence Hill reported Dallas prefers Jacob Rodriguez over C.J. Allen and Anthony Hill.

• Analysis:

  • Landon, in agreement: “I kind of liked Rodriguez more than those other two.” [24:00]
  • Points to Rodriguez’s high ball production and knack for creating turnovers.
    • Stats (Marcus): “10 forced fumbles over the last two years, 11 pass deflections, five interceptions, six sacks, and 25.5 TFL.” [24:57]
  • Both highlight his superior athleticism, similar size to Allen, and more playmaking upside.
    • Marcus: “He’s the better athlete. He’s the same size. He’s the better playmaker…Give me the playmaker.” [25:51]

• Draft Value Concerns:

  • Landon: “Taking a linebacker at 20 is not necessarily ideal… your need is so strong that you may have to, and if you’re going to do that, at least pick the more talented player.” [27:16]

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Notable Quotes & Moments

• On Bain Trade-Up Rumors:
  • “I wouldn’t be shocked if they weren’t going up for someone else specifically … It’s just interesting to hear his name specifically mentioned there.”
    — Landon McCool [02:45]
• On Injury Red Flags with McCoy:
  • “All he did was run a 40 and teams are going to draft him in the first round?...That’s insane.”
    — Landon McCool [14:26]
• On the Risks of Drafting Injured Cornerbacks:
  • “I just get scared. Maybe that just makes me a scaredy cat. But I do get scared with these guys.”
    — Marcus Mosher [17:06]
• On Jacob Rodriguez:
  • “They just need playmakers and he’s one. He just has a knack for being around the football.”
    — Marcus Mosher [25:51]
  • “Reaching for a player is better than completely whiffing.”
    — Landon McCool [27:57]

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Segment Timestamps

• [01:12] - Kicking Off: Draft Rumor Buy or Sell
• [02:33] - ESPN Report on Trade-Up for Reuben Bain/Caleb Downs
• [06:20] - Parsing the Cowboys' View on Reuben Bain
• [08:17] - Do They “Love” Bain? Is He a No-Brainer?
• [09:00] - Bain’s Positional Fit: Edge or 3-Tech?
• [12:00] - Are Cowboys Out on Javad McCoy? ACL Recovery Worries
• [15:07] - Analyzing McCoy’s Pro Day and Concerns
• [17:06] - Drafting Injured Cornerbacks: Lessons from Trayvon Diggs
• [20:04] - Second-Tier Corner Prospects Dallas May Target
• [23:18] - Linebacker Preferences: Rodriguez vs. Allen vs. Hill
• [24:57] - Why Rodriguez Is Their Guy
• [27:57] - Draft Value: LB at 20, Risks/Rewards

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Summary & Takeaways

• Cowboys are indeed interested in trading up for a difference-maker, but smoke likely surrounds the specific names being leaked (Bain, Downs). Expect “other” top defenders (e.g. Sunny Styles, Monsoon Delane) to be real targets.
• Dallas’s front office is not unified in “love” for Reuben Bain; he remains a maybe, not a must, at pick 12.
• Major skepticism about drafting Javad McCoy after lingering ACL questions—don’t expect him to be a Cowboy at 12 or 20.
• At linebacker, Jacob Rodriguez appears to be the Cowboys’ internal favorite due to playmaking and athletic upside, even if positional value at 20 isn’t ideal.
• The Cowboys are likely prepping contingency plans at both cornerback and linebacker, given medical concerns and draft board realities.

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Transcript

[Marcus Moser]

It's the Locked On Podcast network your team every day.

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[Marcus Moser]

We are two weeks away from the NFL draft and the rumors are swirling. We'll tell you which ones to buy and sell next. Are Locked on Cowboys, your daily Dallas Cowboys podcast, part of the Locked On Podcast network your team every day. Welcome back. I am your host Marcus Moser. He is Landon McCool and on today's show, we are buying or selling NFL Draft rumors. Landon, we're less than two weeks away. This is when the rumor mill just is non stop and it's a lot, a lot of times it's hard to decipher what's real and what's not. So we're going to look at some of the biggest rumors coming out of Dallas over the last couple weeks and decide whether we believe them or whether we don't. And let's start with one from Jordan Reed over on espn. He said that trading up continues to be a possibility for the Cowboys, especially if a player they have high on their board who backslides a tad. He said Caleb Downs and edge rusher Reuben Bain are believed to be players who the Cowboys would maneuver up for as Dallas reportedly sees both as instant impact impact game changers on defense. Are you buying or selling this?

[Landon McCool]

Well, this is two things, right? It's, it's the Cowboys looking to trade up for impact defensive player.

[Marcus Moser]

That I believe. 100%.

[Landon McCool]

That I believe.

[Marcus Moser]

Yes. We, we don't spend too much time on that one.

[Landon McCool]

I think it's the thing that it's that's interesting Here is the Reuben Bane situation. Right. Like, because we actually heard kind of a little bit of the opposite, to be honest. And so the idea of them potentially trading up to go get Reuben Bane is a little bit. I, I wonder if that isn't a little bit of smoke. I love Reuben Bane and I certainly wouldn't be mad at them, you know, depending on what the situation is, if they did that. But, you know, it is a little bit counter to what we've heard. A little bit. I, I wouldn't be shocked if, if, you know, if they're going up, they weren't going up for someone else specifically. It's just interesting to hear his name specifically mentioned there.

[Marcus Moser]

I think it's interesting to hear his name as well, and which is why I'm selling this. I also think it's notable the other name that's mentioned here, which is Caleb Downs. Because I don't know if Caleb Downs is somebody that the Cowboys would trade up for. Now that doesn't mean. I don't think they would take him at 12, but I wonder if, because he's a safety and really, you know, for them, maybe a nickel corner, if that's a guy that they probably just wouldn't use other assets to go up and get. I'm wondering if Jordan Reed heard that the Cowboys wanted to trade up and the Cowboys maybe put out a couple names that throw off the set in a little bit. I wonder, Landon, if it's really Sunny Styles and Monsoon Delane, who would be the potential trade up targets? Not Bane and Downs.

[Landon McCool]

Yeah, I mean, that certainly makes more sense. You know, I mean, we, we talked about and kind of ranked up these guys a little bit. And one of the things that we discussed when we were, you know, kind of weighing these top six defenders is know, positional value plays, plays a role here, but it's also kind of the impact you think these guys are going to play as well. And I, I think if they're talking about trading up, it, it changes the math a little bit, especially in that interplay between Caleb Downs and Monster Delane. Right. Because the positional value starts to weigh a little bit heavier on you. Right. So I, yeah, I tend to agree that. I think, and obviously with Styles, to me, like he's a just a more elite player than those other guys or at least, you know, on equal par with unequal par.

[Marcus Moser]

Like, I think, I think that honestly, I think Dallas is a better player, but they've got a bigger hole at linebackers than they have it. Safety.

[Landon McCool]

Yes. Yeah. So I think that's why you would, you would lean more on, you know, for styles in that situation as well. So I tend to agree. I, I think I, I'm selling those names. I'm buying the potential for there being a trade up.

[Marcus Moser]

So I want to ask you about Reuben Bain. I want to dive into this a little bit more because I think you and I are both of the belief, like, if Caleb Downs is available at 12, like that's a no brainer. I'm not convinced that's the case for Reuben Bain. I would like to think that the Cowboys would sprint to the podium and make that pick for Reuben Bain. You and I both think he's an awesome player. We've just heard mixed things regarding the Cowboys in their love for Reuben Bane. Now, it helps that BT Jordan is working with Bane, right? So. Or maybe it doesn't help her help. Maybe, you know, maybe BT is saying, hey, go elsewhere. Get a guy with, you know, longer arms or more traits and let me develop that guy. But as we stand here on April 10, what's your read on their love or lack of love for Reuben Bane?

[Landon McCool]

It's, it's, it's hard to tell. I, I think it's, it's. I think first of all, you know, it's, it's fair to say that they may not have fully formed opinions on him yet. I mean, I think, you know, we are kind of right in the, the square zone where they're going to be kind of collating all their information and gathering all their, their, their area scouts up and getting the information going.

[Marcus Moser]

Little bit more information on that.

[Landon McCool]

Sure. Yeah.

[Marcus Moser]

They had their first draft meeting on Wednesday night, like the first one with everybody together and the first group that they talked about was the Edge Rusher. So I, I think everything up until Wednesday was all, you know, hearsay. Maybe what a scout thought or maybe what Will McLay thought. But until you get all those guys together in the room, I don't know if you can come to a consensus opinion. And maybe, maybe that's going to change one way or the other now that they've had that meeting.

[Landon McCool]

Yeah, I mean, look, I mean, we, we've, you know, made it clear at times that we have certain folks that we talk to. And I think that, you know, when you go to those folks or when you talk to folks, you always allow for the fact that this data, this information could change. And this also, usually when you get information, it's like, it's, it's from one source. And, and so that may not be the only source, you know, of information inside the building that, that needs to be consulted in order to be speaking writ large for the Dallas Cowboys. So I, I, I would not be shocked if we got, you know, information going one way by someone who maybe wasn't, you know, super informed and just knew Ruben Bane as a guy, as a pass rusher with short arms. Maybe that's all they knew about him. And now that the scouts are kind of being included into the process and now the coaches, and the coaches, Right. And everyone's kind of actually getting onto the same page about these players, opinions about the, the player inside the building may change quite a bit.

[Marcus Moser]

My gut, my gut just tells me that they like the player, but they don't love him. And I don't think he's an automatic pick at 12. Not to say that they would draft somebody over them, but I think if they got the right trade, I would, I don't think they would be afraid to trade away from Reuben bane. Like, whereas CD Lamb, like when CD Lamb fell at 17, they weren't fielding offers. Like they, they just knew that they were going to pick him up. I don't know if they feel the same here. I did want to ask you about. We saw Daniel, excuse me. We saw Dame Brugler say that several teams have Reuben Bain as a three technique. Mike Fisher, a guy hinted that some teams Inside the top 10 view him as a defensive tackle, not as a defensive end. What's your read on that?

[Landon McCool]

I think it really depends, you know, I mean, on what, what defense you're playing. And I mean, I don't know, like I, I think for me I would keep him at edge. I, I certainly understand like maybe wanting to reduce him and rush the passer with him as a more of a three technique at times. I think that that makes some sense as well. But I think, you know, a full time conversion to defensive tackle, especially with, with how much, you know, running there is like now in the NFL that he would be, he's, it's not like he's not an outlier at three technique, you know, so he's a big weight outlier there. Yeah. So it's just a different thing.

[Marcus Moser]

You know, I will say one of the guys that we've comped to him for a while is Melvin Ingram, who was drafted by the Chargers, who played some defensive tackle at South Carolina, who also did it with the Chargers for a little bit. Now he was never a full time defensive tackle, but he was a guy that you could move around a little bit. I think you can do that with Bane. But if the idea is that you're drafting him to be like you're starting three Tech, I think that's foolish.

[Landon McCool]

I think if anything I would like to move him out wider, like have him at a wide nine. Like, I think that's probably his best spot. You know, give him some Runway to, to run into these tackles and knock them off their, their spot. Like that's where he's going to thrive.

[Marcus Moser]

All right, so just to be clear, we are selling the idea that the Cowboys would be trading up for Reuben Bane and maybe Caleb Downs. I think we, I think we're selling for sure on, on definitely on Bain,

[Landon McCool]

probably on Downs as well.

[Marcus Moser]

But we are buying the idea that they do want to trade up.

[Landon McCool]

Yeah, I agree.

[Marcus Moser]

All right, let's get to some more draft rumors, including are the Cowboys officially out on J. McCoy? We'll get to that next. This episode is brought to you by TurboTax. It's tax time, but for a lot of us, the old ways of doing taxes is a lot. Trying to book an appointment that's not the most convenient. Sitting in a waiting room with a stack of papers, emailing back and forth, wondering if they really get your situation. But this year you're getting a major upgrade. Intuit TurboTax now has in person locations nationwide. You can meet face to face with a real tax expert and get your documents uploaded straight to your TurboTax app on the spot. And just like that, you're done. Your TurboTax expert works to get you every dollar that you deserve while you get real time notifications as you go about your day. It's the relief of walking in and meeting a real person and walking out knowing that your taxes are being handled right. Head over to turbotax.com local to find a store near you and book your appointment today.

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[Marcus Moser]

Welcome back to the Lock on Cowboys podcast. Don't forget to check out the Everydayer Club for ad free episodes and access to a group chat with Landon and I and other listen listeners of the show. Tap the link in the show notes or go to locon cowboys supercast.com all right, the next rumor that's been out there is about Javad McCoy. Nick Harris of the Fort Worth Star Telegram was the first to report at the NFL combine that based on his information, the Cowboys would not be drafting Jamal McCoy. He goes out and runs a 440-40-yard dash at his pro day and you're still hearing whispers that the Cowboys will not draft him at 12 and wouldn't draft him at 20 either. My question to you, are you buying that they're going to pass on them?

[Landon McCool]

Yes, I am. And we'll see. Right. But I at least think that there's reason here. I think it's reasonable. The, the timeline of that ACL injury, the, the recovery. I understand that he went out there and ran a 4, 38 or whatever, 440 and he looked good. That's doesn't tell the whole story there, right? Did he look good? That's what, you know, scouts who were there told friends of, of ours or whatever. You know, it's like, it's. It's like I think they telephone with this.

[Marcus Moser]

Yeah, well, I think some scouts thought he looked good running the 40. I think other scouts felt like still didn't quite trust the knee. Right. And maybe didn't look quite as explosive as they are hoping. I don't know it. I don't know.

[Landon McCool]

I. Listen. Yeah. Again, without any kind of video to see or without us being there, it's tough to know. But I think the fact again, is, you know, running the 40, running the 40 was like bare minimum, like checking a box.

[Marcus Moser]

Right. That's it.

[Landon McCool]

I mean, I mean, honestly, especially in this, specifically in this situation, like he skipped his whole last year. He didn't go to the Senior bowl when he was, you know, cleared to go to the Senior Bowl. He didn't do anything at the combine. So the fact that he, like, you know, we've seen people like skip the combine and not do anything when they're, when they're healthy because they were top 10 picks. We've seen guys take off their last year. Micah Parsons, I mean, really, I don't know what you want to call Stingley's last year, but you could certainly call it that, Right?

[Marcus Moser]

Sure.

[Landon McCool]

This guy did both and then, and then like ran a 40 at his pro time, like as broday. And I don't think it's because he's, you know, prima donna ish. I think it's probably because there's something different and odd happening with the recovery of his knee. And I think that it may portend to the fact that his knee isn't fully healthy yet or there's something weird going on there. So I Don't know. To me, it feels like all he did was run a 40 and. And teams are going to draft him in the top in the first round. Like.

[Marcus Moser]

Well, I, My intent has started to go up a little bit. We got video a week before his pro day of him doing some on field work and he was going about 75% and it was very limited. And then we, we. I think we got one clip of him working out at Tennessee's pro day and he backpedaled and ran forward like 4 yards and that was it.

[Landon McCool]

Oh, yeah, I did a hip flip. He did a hip flip.

[Marcus Moser]

Yeah, he did the hip flip. I think, I think if he looked awesome and he was flying around, we would have seen countless clips from that pro day. The fact that we didn't just makes me wonder a little bit what's going on here. Now I could be completely wrong. And we could see the Kansas City Chiefs, the Bengals, draft him inside the top 10 because all it takes is one team. But given who the Cowboys have as their team doctor and how well he's known for knee surgeries and ACL recoveries and all that kind of stuff, I do wonder if he's one of these guys that could really fall in the draft like Will Johnson did last year, because Everybody trusts what Dr. Cooper says. And if the Cowboys are out on this guy because of his knee, I got. I couldn't. I would not be shocked if a bunch of teams are.

[Landon McCool]

Well, that's an interesting name that you just mentioned there. I mean, let me ask you this. Do you think Will Johnson should have felt fall fell the way now that we know what we know?

[Marcus Moser]

Probably. I mean, he's already hurt again after his rookie year. Probably.

[Landon McCool]

Yeah. And I, I mean, I think that I've heard a lot of folks kind of saying, you know, I, you shouldn't be afraid to draft guys just because they got hurt. You know, like in the sense of like, oh, he pulled a hamstring so he's. Or like, oh, he tore the. His ACL and he's coming back from his acl. That's not the issue. Like, the issue is he should have already come back from this ACL injury and he's not back from the ACL injury. And, and that's a little suspicious.

[Marcus Moser]

That's why I think, like, his situation and Avion Terrell's are completely different. Like, yeah, Rel has a hamstring injury three months from now, he's going to be perfectly fine. Or at least you would hope so, right? I always worry about cornerbacks who have these major injuries. Because I look at the Cowboys history, look at Trayvon Diggs. Was it 2023? He tore his ACL in week three or between weeks two and three and was just never the same player ever, ever again. And that's a. I was an all pro caliber cornerback who led the NFL in interceptions in 2021. I thought he was even better in 2022 consistently. And then basically the career is over. I mean, he's a free agent right now and nobody wants him. That's what makes me so nervous at that position. I think there are other spots like quarterback and offensive line, like you can tear your ACL and be fine, like have a relatively normal career, but because that position is so much so reliant on your athleticism and trusting your knees and being able to drive off them, I just get scared. Maybe that just makes me a scaredy cat. But I do get scared with these guys.

[Landon McCool]

You? No, I don't think it does. Because look, I mean, we talk about it all the time. Like cornerbacks, the stopwatch position, right? Like it's the one position where 4, 6, 9 at your pro day is gonna knock you down. You're gonna get pretty seriously knocked for that in a way that other athletic testing wouldn't at other positions potentially. Right. Like, we're not like waiting with baited breath to see how many bench presses the guards do. Right? Like, Right. So, yeah. So I think the fact that, you know, someone like Terrell ran slowly, I think is. Is going to push him down. The fact that you're worried about. About his McCoy's ability to run at all, I think is, is. Is where you're concerned. And I think, like, that's the thing is I'm not worried that he's taking too long. I'm not concerned that the ACL recovery is taking too long like that. It's not that the length of time bothers me. It's what that means. He should have been back by now. In a sense that, to me that seems to read like there's still something wrong with that knee. And if there's still something wrong with that knee 15 months later, like, that's insane. Like that.

[Marcus Moser]

That really is. That implies to me that there's going to need to be additional work, like either a cleanup surgery or something else. And now you're talking about somebody who is in danger of missing at least off season workouts and training camp. And that's just not something the Cowboys can afford right now. So.

[Landon McCool]

And again, again, it points Back to like you said, to the Trayvon Diggs situation, right, where it's like he had an ACL surgery, he got hurt again, you know, and it's like the Cowboys are looking at that and they're probably like, I don't want any part of that.

[Marcus Moser]

Well, and it's also why I think they've done so much homework on these kind of like second tier cornerbacks. Colton Hood was in on a 30 visit, I believe on Thursday. Chris Johnson is somebody the Cowboys have done a lot of homework on. Brandon C. Say, Avion Terrell was in on a 30 visit. I'm just wondering if they're starting to believe, like, hey, we're not going to draft the cornerback at 12. Maybe we get Monsoon Delane and if we get an edge rusher or safety, maybe at 20, we can still get a guy that we like quite a bit. Maybe not as talented as Delane or McCoy, but a guy that we feel like can come in, play it right away and just has a much higher floor for 20, 26.

[Landon McCool]

Well, and he's, he's young. You know, he's, I think he's only 21 years old.

[Marcus Moser]

Well, both those guys are young. Johnson and Hood are young. Yep. They're both incredibly young.

[Landon McCool]

So, yeah, I, I think, you know, that gives you opportunity where, you know, you feel like. I feel like both of them, maybe for me, Hood needs a little bit more development to me than, than Johnson because, I mean, I like Johnson more. But, but I do think that you provide yourself a better situation because at least you have cornerbacks who can go out there and start for you. You're not asking him necessarily to go out there and immediately obedient day one starter or at least he's not only being relied upon, he can compete with a guy like Rev or Plant.

[Marcus Moser]

All right, let's talk about the linebacker position because we got a spicy rumor about Jacob Rodriguez and C.J. allen. We'll get to that next. This episode is brought to you by Indeed Workplace chaos. Deadline stacking up, inbox overflowing. And the one position that you have to fill is still sitting open when the pressure's on and you need the right hire. And this is a job for Indeed Sponsored jobs. Indeed Sponsored jobs help you reach the people who actually fit what you're looking for. Skills, experience, location. So you're not just hoping that the right candidate stumbles across your post. And here's a stat that says it all in the minute that I've been talking to you. Companies like yours made 27 hires on Indeed according to Indeed Data Worldwide. So spend less time searching and more time actually interviewing candidates who check all of your boxes with less stress, less time, and more results. And when you need the right person to cut through the chaos. This is a job for Indeed Sponsored Jobs and listeners of this show will get a $75 sponsored job credit to help give your job the premium status that it deserves@ Indeed.com podcast that is Indeed.com podcast terms and conditions apply. Need to hire this is a job for Indeed sponsored Jobs.

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[Marcus Moser]

Welcome back to the Lock on Cowboys podcast. We are going over all the latest NFL draft rumors regarding the Dallas Cowboys. And this last one here comes from Clarence Hill, who said if the Cowboys are going to take a linebacker, they prefer C. Excuse me, they prefer Jacob Rodriguez over C.J. allen and Anthony Hill. And I find that interesting considering that CJ Allen has been somebody who's been mocked to the Cowboys countless times over the last two months. He's a Georgia linebacker. We know Christian Parker has preferred those Georgia players before, but are you surprised that they would take Rodriguez over those other two?

[Landon McCool]

I mean, no, I don't think so because I kind of liked Rodriguez more than those other two. So I, you know, I, I think all the reasons that you mentioned include and including the fact that even traditionally, I would say by their, how their games fit into this system would seem to indicate that, that, that Rodriguez may not be as highly sought after as, as Alan or. Who was the other one that you mentioned?

[Marcus Moser]

I'm sorry, Anthony Hill.

[Landon McCool]

Anthony Hill, Yeah. I mean, again, similar play, right? So I, I think, I think, you know, the thing that really appeals to them maybe more than anything you've, you've brought this up before is the ball production that Rodriguez has. You know, he's got his, he gets his hands on footballs, he gets interceptions, he forces fumbles, a lot of them. And it's not, you know, to the point where it's not, it's not coincidental. Like it's, you know, it's it's. Clearly there's something there.

[Marcus Moser]

I got the numbers here. 10 force fumbles over the last two years, 11 pass deflections, five interceptions, six sacks, and 25 and a half tackles for a loss. So that's over the last two years and he's only been playing linebacker for a couple years.

[Landon McCool]

Yeah. And so, you know, I just think that Allen and, and you know, he's, he's a guy that if you want him and you want to bring him in, I, I think he plays a very defined role and I think he's going to fit what you're going to do in, in a good way, maybe better than some other, other teams. I just think that Rodriguez is generally a better linebacker. You know, I think, I think we look at Allen because he's, we're, I think we're comfortable with the way he potentially could fit in, or at least I am comfortable with the way he could potentially fit in this defense. But I, I think I like Rodriguez's ability to fit in all defenses better than Allen's ability to fit in our defense.

[Marcus Moser]

They just need playmakers and he's one, he just has a knack for being around the football. And honestly I just think he's far more athletic. And the size there's really, I think it would be different if C.J. allen was this 6, 6 foot 3, 245 pound linebacker who you know, is a real thumper. But my goodness, Landon, you look at the size, Rodriguez is almost a full inch taller. He's one pound heavier. The arm length is almost identical. C.J. allen's got him by less than an inch. It's, it's not like you're getting a significantly smaller player in Rodriguez. He's the better athlete. He's the same size. He's the better playmaker. And I know that Georgia's defense is so well coached. Give me the playmaker.

[Landon McCool]

Yeah, I mean Georgia, Georgia's defense is so well coached that I don't know how much better C.J. allen's gonna get.

[Marcus Moser]

Well, and that's, that's the thing is I, I do wonder a lot of these Georgia linebackers come into the NFL maxed out. I think Nicobe Dean is that way and I think Dane Brugler even compared him to the Kobe Dean. I really like the Kobe Dean. I don't know if I would spend the 20th pick on Nakobe Dean, but I do like him.

[Landon McCool]

I also don't think that C.J. allen is Nicoby Dean. You know, Nicobi Dean I think is A better athlete if I'm not mistaken. So I, I, I, yeah, I, I, listen, I, I like C.J. on if the, if he gets picked at 20, I'm gonna be fine with it.

[Marcus Moser]

He's a good player. I just don't think you're getting the best value there.

[Landon McCool]

I agreed. And, and honestly, I also would almost probably say the same thing with Rodriguez at 20. Like I just taking a linebacker at 20 is not necessarily ideal, but your, your need is, is so strong that like, you know, you may have to, and if you're gonna do that, at least pick the, the more talented player. I would say yeah.

[Marcus Moser]

And I, I feel the same way. Like Rodriguez is going to be a linebacker who I believe is going to be 24 at some point during his rookie season. It's an off ball linebacker. You're drafting inside the top 20 in terms of positional value and age. It's not great. At the same time, he's just a really good freaking football player and I wouldn't mind having him on the defense.

[Landon McCool]

Yeah, reaching for a player is better than completely whiffing. Yeah. And so I, I, I feel like at least you get a good player and maybe he overpaid for him. Oh well, oh well.

[Marcus Moser]

He'll be fine. All right, that is it for today's show. We want to thank you for making lot on Cowboys your first listen every single day. Make sure you subscribe and follow the podcast so you get all of the latest episodes. And and if you never miss an episode, the everydayer club is built for you. Get locked on Cowboys ad free members only, discord access and so much more. Head over to LockedOn cowboys.supercast.com to join the club. And for those of you on video, we can send you the first ever 24. 7 national NBA YouTube channel. And on audio, make your second listen the Locked on NFL Draft podcast. Follow Lanen on Twitter @McCool BCB. I'm arcusmosier and we will see you right back here on Monday.

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[Ross Jackson]

Sponsored Jobs hey everyone, this is Ross Jackson, one of the hosts of the Locked On Podcast Network. Thank you for being here because your support means everything. Then if you're looking for another way to support the show that you love while getting something awesome in return, check out the Everydayer Club. You get ad free episodes of your favorite Locked on show, access to a members only group chat for fans of your team, and you can even jump into the national chats and talk about whatever's happening across the league. Tap the Everydayer Club link in the show notes to learn more.