Locked On Cowboys Podcast — Episode Summary
Episode Title: Did The NFL Combine HELP or HURT The Dallas Cowboys 2026 Draft Plans?
Date: March 2, 2026
Hosts: Marcus Mosher and Landon McCool

Episode Overview

In this episode, Marcus and Landon give a comprehensive breakdown of the 2026 NFL Combine, focusing specifically on the implications for the Dallas Cowboys’ draft plans. They tackle the evolving nature of the Combine, the trend of prospects declining to participate in certain drills, and how these changes affect pre-draft evaluations. The hosts also analyze which prospects helped or hurt their draft stock, highlight players who fit Dallas’ needs, and share their perspectives on how this year’s results shape strategic decisions for the Cowboys’ first-round picks.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Changing Nature of the NFL Combine

Timestamps: 01:24–06:27

• Fewer Participants and Changing Attitudes:

  • Landon reflects on how participation has dramatically declined among top prospects, especially in the aftermath of Covid. “It really felt like the beginning of the end for the combine, right? Like less participants… It was suddenly like all the top participants weren’t doing all the testing.” (02:28)
  • Agents and players strategically avoid drills where they might not excel, preferring no number over a potentially damaging one.
  • Marcus notes how RAS (Relative Athletic Scores) influence these decisions: “If you're not going to run a fast 40, you're just not going to run. Right?” (04:05)

• The "No Combine" Draft Impact:

  • 2021’s Covid-induced absence of a combine didn’t impact draft order or player selection, empowering players and agents to skip testing even more (05:17).

• Perceived Value of Competing:

  • Landon shares, “It just feels like it’s opportunities lost, though, in some of these situations.” (06:02)

Evaluating Players that Participate vs. Skip Drills

Timestamps: 06:27–10:32

• Should Cowboys (and evaluators) Bump Up Players Who Test?

  • Marcus brings up Jeremiah Love, Sonny Stiles, and Arvell Reese as examples of players who tested without much to gain: “I thought it was really cool that, like, Jeremiah Love… does not have much to gain, goes out there and runs the 40 and he does all the on field drills.” (06:51)
  • Disappointment is expressed in projected top-20 picks like Mansoor Delaine and Jermon McCoy not working out.

• Drafting with Uncertainty:

  • Landon: “If you decide to put extra weight on the guys that are going out there… you’re probably going to be okay most of the time, because most of the time you’re picking the superior athletes. But… you have to be okay with the fact that you’re gonna miss a lot more on some of these guys than maybe some other teams that are willing to ignore that.” (08:00)

• Concern over Missing Data:

  • On C.J. Allen not testing: “It kind of puts more stress on him to put up really good pro day numbers.” (08:50)
  • What if he skips the pro day too? “That’s scary… Not testing at all, like, that to me falls into the category of, you know, what are you hiding?” (09:03)

• Competitiveness vs. Numbers:

  • Marcus praises Carnell Tate’s willingness to run, despite knowing he’s not a “4.3 guy”: “I just… like the guys that are willing to go out there and compete.” (09:58)

The Timing Debate: Stopwatch vs Laser

Timestamps: 10:32–11:06

• Scouting Antics:
  • Teams sometimes propagate different 40 times through media (“just tell Adam Schefter…”), leading Landon to joke: “Scouts are generally Luddites and… they are against modern technology as much as possible. So they’re going to tell you, hey, my stopwatch that I've used since 1978 is just as good as these new fangled laser timers.” (10:50)

Was This a Good Combine for the Cowboys?

Timestamps: 14:17–21:31

• Mixed Results for Positional Needs:

  • Landon explains there are two crucial factors: Did players at Cowboys’ need positions perform well, and did enough non-target players boost their stock to push more talent down to Dallas?
    • “I think that was kind of a mixed review day… we didn’t get anything from Mansour Delaine, we didn’t get anything from CJ Allen as you mentioned, Jermod McCoy…” (14:17)

• Offensive Line/Quarterback Prospects Rising:

  • “Ty Simpson… threw the ball really well… maybe elevated his stock.” (16:13)
  • Offensive Tackles (Monroe Freeling in particular) had strong combines, positioning them to go higher and push down other talent to Dallas.
  • Makai Lemon and Carnell Tate discussed as wide receivers whose combine performances might shift draft dynamics.

• Prospects Moving Up:

  • Marcus lists three standouts now in top-12 conversation: Kenyan Sadiq (Oregon, ran a blazing 40), Monroe Freeling (Georgia, strong performance), and Caleb Banks (huge, athletic DT): “I just don’t see [Freeling] getting outside the top 12 because there’s such a need for tackles.” (17:28–18:02)

• Trade Down Scenarios:

  • Carnell Tate’s “average” combine means he remains a trade-up target at #12 for WR-needy teams, even if Dallas doesn't want to select him: “If Carnell Tate is suddenly available at 12... there could be a team like the Ravens that need a receiver, the Jets who need a receiver, the Steelers who might all suddenly want to get up to that spot to get him.” (18:02)

• Offensive Line Inflation:

  • “Teams need offensive linemen and it’s not sexy to mock them inside the top 10, even if it feels like a little bit of a reach at this time. But once you get closer and closer to the draft, these, these guys get pushed up…” (20:31)

Notable Quotes and Moments

• On Combine Attendance:

  • “It’s just not as vital to draft prospects’ draft stock. And I think that you’re just seeing that more and more; agents are trying to shield their players from what could be bad stock hits.” — Landon McCool (06:02)

• On Testing vs. Hiding Flaws:

  • "Not testing at all… that to me falls into the category of, you know, what are you hiding?" — Landon McCool (09:03)

• On Trade-Ups:

  • “If Carnell Tate is suddenly available at 12… there could, there would likely be teams calling because again, there’s a lot of wide receiver needy teams out there.” — Landon McCool (19:12)

Cowboys Prospects: Winners & Fit

Timestamps: 23:30–28:45

• Dylan Thieneman (Safety, Purdue):

  • “He went out there and performed exactly like we kind of thought he would, he’s an elite athlete… I think he’s a high floor player to take at 12.” — Landon McCool (24:12)
  • Not quite Landon’s preference at 12 due to positional value, but a safe pick.

• Avion Terrell (CB, Clemson):

  • Marcus: “You watch the drills like the on field work he is so smooth… I feel so confident he’s going to find a way to be a good player. Maybe he’s never a Pro Bowl player… would be really nice to have one of those players again on your defense.” (25:18)

• Emmanuel McNeil-Warren (Safety):

  • Debate about what constitutes “speed” for a 6’4” safety: “I mean 4, 5, 3 is I guess a slow time, which to me seemed just fine… especially since he’s six four and not six two and a half or whatever we thought.” — Landon McCool (26:59)

• On the Depth of Safety and Linebacker Classes:

  • Marcus: “The safety class is really good… I wouldn’t be surprised if you get somebody like Caleb Downs falling in this draft.” (27:39)
  • "The linebacker from Texas, I thought really had a good day…” — Landon McCool (28:16)
  • The strength at these positions may cause them to fall in the draft if teams opt to wait.

Memorable Quotes (with Timestamps)

• “Agents are just looking at these and they don’t want their players to put up bad numbers. So if you’re going to run… a bad forty… you’re just not going to do it. And it’s better just to not do it than put a bad number out there.” — Marcus Mosher (04:32)
• “If the question is like… Not testing at all, like that to me falls into the category of, you know, what are you hiding?” — Landon McCool (09:03)
• “I just like the guys that are willing to go out there and compete. Like, and that’s why I really respect someone like Carnell Tate…” — Marcus Mosher (09:58)
• “Scouts are generally Luddites and… my stopwatch that I’ve used since 1978 is just as good as these new fangled laser timers.” — Landon McCool (10:50)
• “You want to have a whole lot of available picks for you at 12 and 20. You want to have guys who are worthy of that.” — Landon McCool (15:00)

Episode Structure & Important Segments (with Timestamps)

• 01:24–06:27 — The changing nature of the combine; trend of non-participation
• 06:27–10:32 — How to value participation vs. non-participation; draft philosophy implications
• 14:17–21:31 — Good/bad combine for the Cowboys; stock movement for positional targets; trade-up scenarios
• 23:30–28:45 — In-depth on Cowboys fits: Thieneman, Terrell, McNeil-Warren, Caleb Downs, and how safety/LB depth impacts the board

Conclusion

This episode delivers a deep, nuanced analysis of the shifting landscape surrounding the NFL Combine and its draft implications for the Dallas Cowboys in 2026. Marcus and Landon dissect evolving norms, weigh participation decisions, and highlight how this impacts evaluations, especially for top prospects and Dallas’ likely targets in the first round. The conversation stays insightful, with practical takeaways for fans and draft aficionados alike, emphasizing adaptability in team strategy amidst rapidly shifting NFL pre-draft dynamics.