TARGET: Dallas Cowboys Seek Next Star EDGE Rusher | Could Malachi Lawrence Be DRAFT SLEEPER?

Summary

Locked On Cowboys Podcast — Episode Summary

Episode Title: TARGET: Dallas Cowboys Seek Next Star EDGE Rusher | Could Malachi Lawrence Be DRAFT SLEEPER?
Date: March 30, 2026
Hosts: Marcus Mosher & Landon McCool

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Episode Overview

This episode focuses on potential edge rushers in the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft who could fit well in Christian Parker’s Dallas Cowboys defense. Marcus and Landon dive deep into several under-the-radar prospects projected to be available between picks 20 and 90, including Malachi Lawrence (Central Florida), Dani Dennis-Sutton (Penn State), and Romello Height (Texas Tech). The hosts discuss the strengths, weaknesses, and draft fit for each player, offering insight into how each could impact the Cowboys’ pass rush.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Malachi Lawrence (Central Florida) — The Big Riser

[01:21–10:17]

• Lawrence has seen a meteoric rise on draft boards, fueled by standout athletic testing at the NFL Combine:
  • 6'4.5", 253 lbs, 81" wingspan, 4.52 40-yard dash, 40" vertical, 130" broad jump
  • 96th percentile athleticism
• Versatility: Lined up everywhere from 3-tech to wide-7; strong flexibility for his size; highly coordinated hands and feet.
• Concerns:
  • Needs to play with a more consistent pad level; has a tendency to play too high and get moved by bigger tackles
  • Linear, straight-line athlete; not elite in change-of-direction or bend
  • Only one year of high-end production; older rookie (turning 24)
• Comparison:
  • Marcus: "I'm not comparing him to [Sam Williams] as a player, but the way that he moves, the athleticism… Not always under control, that's how a great athlete can sometimes get neutralized" (06:15)
  • Also comped to Dante Fowler for explosive but not bendy rush style
• Draft Value:
  • Both see him as a late-first/early-second round edge, but not their preferred choice at pick 20 if other edges are available
  • Landon: “[Lawrence] is a first round edge… but there will be other edges I like more than him at 20.” (07:38)
• Notable Quote:
  • “Disruption is production. Even if you may not be able to get the guy to the ground, if you're able to knife your way into the backfield and disrupt the play... you're helping the defense.” – Landon McCool (09:56)

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2. Dani Dennis-Sutton (Penn State) — High-Floor, Upside Project

[12:09–19:27]

• Athletic Profile: Five-star recruit; 6'5.5", 256 lbs, 33.5" arms, 4.63 40, sub-7 second 3-cone at 256 lbs.
• Strengths:
  • Strong, powerful hands; can set the edge and dominate tight ends
  • Already an effective run defender; productive and durable at Penn State
  • Effective in stunts and twists due to lateral agility
• Concerns:
  • Pass rush plan is raw; often lacks creativity
  • Tends to play too high after initial get-off, limiting pass rush success
  • Better compressing the pocket than cornering
• Projection: Viewed as a “ball of clay” with solid floor due to run defense; pass rush upside depends on refinement
• Draft Range: Projected in the early-to-mid second round, with some boards placing him as high as 11th overall
• Comparison: Jason Oweh (now Adafi Oweh), another raw but freaky Penn State product
• Notable Quote:
  • "Even if he never becomes a 12-sack guy, you're getting someone who can start for you and give you really good run defense early on." – Landon McCool (18:34)

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3. Romello Height (Texas Tech) — The Pure Pass Rush Specialist

[21:39–27:07]

• Profile: Undersized (under 6'3", under 240 lbs); will be 25 as a rookie; transferred through four schools.
• Strengths:
  • Best pure pass rusher of discussed group, per Landon
  • Highly flexible and bendy — “can run underneath the table”
  • Violent, varied hand usage; relentless; comfortable dropping into coverage
  • Immediate impact potential for passing downs
• Weaknesses:
  • Significant run defense liability—gets swallowed by bigger tackles, lacks functional strength
  • Short arms, thin lower body; probably maxed out physically/athletically
  • “Closer to James Houston [as a situational pass rusher] than Nick Herbig [who could play every down]” – Landon McCool (26:36)
• Draft Value:
  • Landon: “I would rather have Romello Height at 94 than either of these other two guys at 20.” (22:09)
  • Marcus predicts he might go in early Day 3 due to age and limited upside: “If he's the pick at 112 for the Cowboys, I'd be very happy.” (28:56)
• Team Fit: Ideal for specialist role in 3-4 defense; could contribute right away in sub-packages

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Comparisons, Decision Points, and Draft Strategy

[19:27–20:25]

• Comparing Lawrence (older, higher pass rush upside) vs. Dennis-Sutton (younger, higher floor but more projection as a rusher)
• Landon leans toward Lawrence if the Cowboys require immediate pass rush juice: “I need pass rush… so I think going after the guy that has a little bit more juice as a pass rusher to me makes a little more sense.” (19:47)
• When considering depth, role, and team-building timeline, the hosts highlight that Romello Height offers immediate production, while Dennis-Sutton projects more as a long-term starter.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “He went to UCF, not a super major college... but he's just got really good tape, and then he showed up at the Senior Bowl and was really effective.” – Landon on Malachi Lawrence’s media rise (02:54)
• “He has a rare blend of athletic traits that can allow him to win around the edge with burst and hold up inside consistently.” – Landon McCool (05:19)
• “If you just need someone who can come in and give you pass rush on third down, [Romello Height] is the best option of the three.” – Landon McCool (22:09)
• “He's got all the athleticism. If it ever clicks for him as a pass rusher, the sky's the limit.” – Marcus Moser on Dani Dennis-Sutton (17:11)

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• 01:21–10:17: Malachi Lawrence analysis and fit for the Cowboys
• 12:09–19:27: Dani Dennis-Sutton breakdown and projection
• 21:39–27:07: Romello Height scouting report and situational value
• 19:27–20:25: Comparing Lawrence vs. Dennis-Sutton, draft strategy for Dallas

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Summary Table: Prospect Comparison

| Prospect | Draft Range | Strengths | Weaknesses | Ideal Role | |--------------------|-------------|----------------------------------------|------------------------------|--------------------------| | Malachi Lawrence | Late 1st–Early 2nd | Explosive, versatile, hands & flexibility | Older, 1 yr prod., linear athlete | 3-down pass rushing edge | | Dani Dennis-Sutton | Early–Mid 2nd | Strong run defense, powerful, untapped pass rush | Raw rusher, upright runner | High-floor, base DE | | Romello Height | Late 3rd–Early 4th | Best pass rusher now, flexibility, pursuit| Undersized, run defense, age | Sub-package specialist |

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Final Thoughts

• The Cowboys’ draft strategy at EDGE depends on whether they want immediate pass rush or long-term development.
• Each prospect offers a distinct skill set:
  • Lawrence: athletic upside and versatility but with age/production risk
  • Dennis-Sutton: solid floor with projection to develop
  • Height: “what-you-see-is-what-you-get” instant pressure package specialist
• The hosts agree that spending a first-round pick on these prospects is a matter of weighing current needs against future potential, emphasizing the importance of immediate pass rush versus developing a foundational edge presence.

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For more detailed discussion and analysis, listen to the full episode or join the Locked On Cowboys Everydayer Club for ad-free episodes and exclusive chat access.

Transcript

[Landon McCool]

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[Marcus Moser]

The Dallas Cowboys need pass rush help. We're going to tell you some under the radar players that you should be watching next.

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[Marcus Moser]

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're talking about some edge rushers that the Cowboys could be interested in during the 2026 NFL Draft. We're not going to be talking about the guys like Reuben Bane, Arval Reese and even guys like Cassius Howard, Akeem Mezador. We're talking about guys that are likely to go, you know, picks between, let's say 20 and 75, 20 and 90 that I think could fit Christian Parker's defense well. And I want to start with one of the biggest risers really over the last month and that is Malachi Lawrence from Central Florida. Lane, you know that I do this charting for, you know, the consensus board every single year. A month ago he was 144th on the consensus board. Now as of today, he's inside the top 50. It has been a wild climb for Lawrence and really a big reason why is the athleticism at the NFL combine. He came in at 6 foot 4 and a half, 253 pounds with an 81 inch wingspan, ran a 452-40 yard dash with a 40 inch vertical and a 130 broad jump. That's in the 96 percentile. He is a freak athlete and now I won't be concerned or won't be surprised if he goes in round one.

[Landon McCool]

Yeah, you know, usually we, when we talk about this, right, like late risers like this, it's usually the case where the NFL has been onto this guy for a little while and now the, the, the media folks are finally kind of getting a chance to talk to the NFL about him. Right. Because, and I think that's the case here is that this is a guy who, you know, he went to UCF so not like a superher major college. Right. But I mean he's just got like really good tape and, and then he showed up at the Senior bowl and, and was really effective there too. And I think Shrine Bowl.

[Marcus Moser]

Shrine Bowl.

[Landon McCool]

Triangle Shine ball. Shine ball was really effective at the Shrine bowl as well. And then I, I, I think, you know, just as the name kind of percolated out into the media, more and more folks started talking to the NFL and NFL guys were like, yeah, we're trying to be quiet about this guy, but yeah, I better than average height and length, but a bit underweight. I mean you mentioned he's like two. I think he came in at 253 but he, I don't think he was playing at that. He was lighter than that. Yeah, but he had good burst off the line from a two and a three point stance. You know, he's not an elite athlete. We'll talk about that. But he's certainly a good enough athlete and bursty enough. His, I, I gotta tell you, his, his combine numbers were surprising to me. Right. Like I think just based on what we you see on tape. But I think, you know, it does tell you that he has this in him. I think he's, you know, going to be a little bit better once he gets an opportunity to kind of focus on one position because that's the other thing about him that I do like is that he is kind of versatile inside and out. You see him playing at a three at a four I, all the way out to a seven where you see him, you know, taking off and trying to win outside. Good lower body flexibility, especially for someone who's six four. Right. Flexible enough to shorten the corner and dip underneath blocks well rehearsed and coordinated hand and footwork makes him efficient around the edge. He'll set an edge with a long arm, you know, and with keeps his hands above his eyes to maintain leverage. So he's got like good lower hip and ankle flex to kind of get low. Needs a bit more consistency in dropping the pad level on the edge though, because I mean that's the thing is that he can't if he doesn't get low, if he, if he, I mean he has the ability you see it on tape, but he's inconsistent with it. And when he doesn't get low because he's so tall, he can get lifted and moved at times by bigger and stronger right tackles and left tackles. You see rip, chop, rip, hump, swim, swipe, push, pull. He's got engaging active hands, plays with great effort maybe, but that's that he plays with great effort. But here's we're going to get to the kind of athleticism stuff to me, and I think it's more change of direction athleticism. He's. He plays a little bit out of control and you can see it at times when he plays with really great effort. But then when he gets there, sometimes it's hard for him to break down and make the tackle. He's a bit stiff hipped, you know, he's not an elite change of direction athlete. I think you see that the testing numbers don't include a three cone. That's. He's certainly not alone in that. But it's not surprising that he didn't want to necessarily go that route because I think he is sort of a linear athlete. He has a rare blend of athletic traits that can allow him to win around the edge with burst and hold up inside consistently. So he has a lot of versatility. And to me, where does he win? Versatile impact edge player. Can't. The unanswered questions are can he get the sand in his pants? And to be more consistent with his pad level to dominate as a run player on the edge.

[Marcus Moser]

So I'm not comparing him to this player, but I'm comparing the athleticism, the way that he moves in some of the stuff where it's Sam Williams. Okay, Sam Williams is so explosive, right. But it's not always under control. Right. And that's how a great athlete can sometimes get neutralized on the football field. Now I think he's even more explosive than Sam Williams is. But Sam Williams is that way where I think for as great of an athlete he, as he is, he's just not consistent at bending the edge. And I think he loses speed around the edge and when he's in space, he has a hard time breaking down. But I also think there's a, there's a lot to like about him as a pass rusher. Like, I think, I think he is violent. I think he's a good run defender already and I think I think he can hold up against offensive tackles in the NFL. He's got good length. I like him. I, I just, I'm struggling to put Him, I'm trying to find a spot to where to put him. He's also older. We should mention that he's going to be, he's 24. He'll be 24. During his rookie season, he really only has one year of production. He had a 20 win rate, pass rush win rate this year, very good. Before that kind of middling numbers. He went over 30 pressures just once in his career. I like Malachi Lawrence, but Lane, I'm going to ask you, do you like him in the first round?

[Landon McCool]

I think, I think he probably is a first round player. I think at 20 it wouldn't be my favorite pick, but I, I, I certainly don't think that it would be an enormous reach. I think the thing where he's different than Sam to me is, and I agree that athleticism is very similar just based on athleticism. Yeah, I think the big difference between him and Sam as players is that he can use his hands really well, whereas Sam Williams struggles to even remember to use his hands, it feels like sometimes. So I, I do think that that's where you're gonna see a little bit higher floor with him than you would with Sam. And I don't know that he's gonna be as impactful a special teams player, but I don't know. That's certainly not why you're drafting him in the first round. Right. But yeah, I, I think he is a first round edge. I just don't know that I feel, I, I think that there will be other edges still available that I will probably like more than him at 20.

[Marcus Moser]

I, man, again you can tell that I struggle with him because I, I like him more than Akeem Mazador. Now Mezador is a better pass rusher, but I have fewer concerns about Lawrence. He's a year younger, he's a lot healthier, he's a better athlete. Right. I would prefer Lawrence at 20. The hard part is do you, do I like him more than TJ Parker? Do I like him more than Cassius Howell? Probably not. But if this is the pick at 20, I don't feel like it's such an egregious reach that we should be throwing a hissy fit about it because there's a lot of traits there and we've seen plenty of edge rushers come into the NFL that are these awesome athletes. Not the most bendy, but still find ways to be productive.

[Landon McCool]

Yeah, absolutely. And I think you, that's kind of where I've got him too. Right. I, I would take Cal and Parker over over him. But I, I think I. I mess the door and I. I would take messador over him but you and I value Macedor a little bit differently. But I think he's right there. Right?

[Marcus Moser]

Can I give you another comp? Yeah, you tell me.

[Landon McCool]

Yeah, please.

[Marcus Moser]

Dante Fowler coming out of school ran a seven four three con but he ran at six three two hundred and sixty pounds. He ran like in the four fives. A little bit of that Fowler where being just really explosive off the line and sometimes that's, that's just enough to be a good player in the league.

[Landon McCool]

Yeah, absolutely. I mean look get. You know, disruption is production. Like sometimes you may not be able to get the. The guy to the ground but if you're able to knife your way into the backfield and disrupt the play and cause a quarterback to get off his spot or have to get off his read, then, then you're, you're helping their defense.

[Marcus Moser]

You're.

[Landon McCool]

You're affecting the play and that's, that's enough for. For at least having some value on your. This defense.

[Marcus Moser]

All right, let's talk about a Penn State rusher. The Cowboys have had some success here before. Before they traded one away. Could Danny Dennis Sutton be their answer to their past rush woes? We'll get to that next. This episode is brought to you by Robin Hood. What if sports were traded like markets? And now you can put your sports IQ to work in real time with Robinhood Prediction Markets. It's not you against the house. It's you participating in a live market. You can buy or sell your positions live all game long. Use your sports knowledge in the moments that matter. Robinhood Prediction Markets changes the game. It's people moving the action so when the momentum shifts, you can move with it. I've always known the game but never had a dynamic way to to apply that knowledge. Now I can actually take part live in a market powered by the people. You're no longer just a spectator. Play by play. You decide trade every play. With Robinhood now available across the U.S. download the Robinhood app now to begin Futures and cleared swap trading involves significant risk and is not appropriate for everyone. Event contracts are offered by Robinhood Derivatives llc, a registered Futures Futures Commission merchant and and SWAT firm.

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[Marcus Moser]

Welcome back to the Laton Cowboys Podcast. We'd like to thank you for making us your first listen every single day. Don't forget about the Everyday Club. For ad free episodes and access to a group chat with Landon and I and other listeners of the show, tap the link in the show notes or go to lockedon gabboys supercast.com to join the club. All right L let's talk about Danny. Dennis Sutton from Penn State, another Edge rusher who is getting a lot of rave reviews. I saw one board yesterday actually where he was 11th overall. What did you see from him when you turned on the tape?

[Landon McCool]

Yeah, he's a big, I mean look first of all five star athlete. He was a 28th rate prospect coming out of the 20, 20, 22 classes. You know, big guy, six five three eight, almost six foot, almost six five and a half, 256 pounds. He's got big hands, ten one eight inch hands. His length is, is okay right? It's 33 and a half inches which you know, like for that height you kind of think they almost had he'd have longer arms but that's certainly good enough. You know, ran a 46 3. That's pretty decent for a guy's size. The 16310 yard split is fine for you know that size, but you almost want it a little bit better. But he did run a 693 cone. He was one of the few guys who did run the three cone. Getting sub seven three cone at 256 pounds. That'll do. Good size. Like I said tall, good link bit hands pop in his hands. Mixes it up with offensive lineman no problem. That's really the, the bottom line or the you know, top line with this guy is that he's got incredibly strong hands. He's got got length and he's gonna, he's good at kind of keeping people at bay with, with the, with the initial punch and then locking them out. Plays with good strength, uses his length leverage well. Plays in a two and three point stance despite impressive testing isn't necessarily flexible enough to consistently win around the corner better he's better at trying to go through the offensive tackle than he is trying to duck underneath the table. As they say. He plays too high too often. You know and I think the my notes in General, kind of just point to a guy who is not a finished product yet, who's a really, really good ball of clay for a certain type of athlete. Kind of a base end. And he just isn't developed there. I mean, you know, he gets off the ball well, but by his second or third step, he gets too high and it starts to slow him down so he can get off. Like, he gets the. Off the line fine, but it's like he, he needs more work on the, on the sequencing of his footwork, you know, beyond just the initial get off. More effective compressing the pocket than piercing it. When he tries to speed around the corner and can't win, he needs to retrace his steps back inside. Right now, he just gets run around the hoop and out of the play. Not a ton of creativity as a pass rusher, I don't really see a plan from him most of the time. Takes on double teams at the edge and can stand his ground and set an edge versus lots of different blocking schemes. As a run defender, he's ready to go.

[Marcus Moser]

Like, that's what I was going to ask you because, like, I, I think he's a good run defender, like already, like, and I think he's gonna, and this is why I think he's gonna go higher than people think is because generally these guys that you draft in the first couple rounds of the draft, they're poor run defenders, but they've got some juice as a pass rusher. I think he can become a good run defender that as he develops, will get better as a pass rusher. And teams are okay drafting that player high.

[Landon McCool]

Yeah, absolutely. Especially since, you know, he has, I was gonna say he has experience dropping in the flat. He's powerful enough to control and dominate tight ends. This is a useful player already. Right? Like, even if, even as he's learning to rush the passer, he's got good lateral movement. So, you know, he's going to be effective on stunts and twists right away. Where does he win? Powerful basin with untapped pass rush potential. Unanswered questions. Can he refine his pass rush footwork and hand work to take his game to the next level? It really just feels like he needs more coordination.

[Marcus Moser]

He.

[Landon McCool]

He just needs more work on his, on the specifics of a pass rush. And then he's, you know, he's got sort of the athleticism to do it. I think maybe he'll never be a speed rusher, maybe he'll never be Randy Gregory, but he could be a guy that wins with Speed to power and power and then inside moves and I in on stunts and, and then you add that in with what I said, like about his powerful hands, his ability to control offensive lineman and tight ends. This is a guy that, you know, could step in and you know, probably get drafted in the second round depending on where you know. I mean, you say he's 11th overall, but I mean, who knows, right? With, with this class. And you could. No, I'm saying there are, there are

[Marcus Moser]

people that have him as the 11th best player in this class.

[Landon McCool]

Yeah, I know. Yeah, yeah, I, I know. I'm saying even with that, like with this class, you just never know. Right. You never know. And, and so you could get this guy potentially out of the first round and he would be a walk in

[Marcus Moser]

starter for most teams that I, I think he's gonna go like between that 33 to 45 range.

[Landon McCool]

Yeah.

[Marcus Moser]

Just because he's a big school guy who played four years at Penn State and the production's actually not too bad. And if you look at like pass rush win rate, all four years that he was there, he had at least a 15. Sorry, at least a 14.4. Password win rate. And that's going to be better than guys like Keldrick Falker are going to go in round one. Right. Like, so he's, he doesn't know what he's doing yet as a pass rusher and he's still productive. And you mentioned him being good as, you know, as a run defender. There's a lot to like. It's just how far away is he as a pass rusher and does it ever click for him? Because I do think once he gets into the NFL, just being a great athlete's no longer going to be enough to create. But at the same time, there are plenty of guys in the league that just win on hustle and athleticism. And I hate to be a helmet scout right here, but Jason Oe Adafi Away was a very similar prospect coming out of Penn State and it took until the second half of year four for things to finally click. And now he's a 25 million dollar a year pass rusher for the Commanders.

[Landon McCool]

Yeah, and, and to be clear, like, it's interesting you brought up Keldrick fault because it's hard not to think here, but like, Keldrick Falk is still another 15 or 20 pounds.

[Marcus Moser]

He's 20 pounds bigger. What I'm just saying is like, he has at least been somewhat productive as a pass runner.

[Landon McCool]

No, that's what I was actually going to get at is that, is that this guy, despite the fact that we're kind of selling him as a basin and as a power hands guy, like that's what's going to get him in the door. But I think you have the chance for him to, because of his size, because of his athleticism. You know, he is 20 pounds lighter than, than Sutton, I mean than, than Falk. But, but he also has that much worth more of athleticism that he can tap into once he figures out what he's doing as a pass rusher. So yeah, like there is a chance that this guy isn't just like a, you know, five or eight sack guy and a good run defender. There's a chance that this guy is like a 10 to 12 sack guy plus a really good run defender. So that's what you're betting on. You know, you just happen to be getting a nice high floor because he can come in and give you some really good run defense early on.

[Marcus Moser]

Let me ask you this. Comparing him to Malachi Lawrence, we should mention Danny. Dennis Hunton is 22. He's going to be the youngest of the three pass rushers we're talking about today. If you had to pick one of these guys, let's say pick 27 after a trade down, who would you want it to be for Dallas?

[Landon McCool]

That's tough. You know, I think maybe it would be Lawrence for me because I think I need that pass rush right away. I think it's more, I think I, I feel better about my opportunity to get pass rush play out of Lawrence than Sutton. Sutton is still a projection. I believe he can get there, but it is still a projection. I feel like I've got the, the strong run setting edge defender right now already on this team. I, I need pass rush. Yeah. Yes. Yes. Fair. I need pass rush. And so I think going after the guy that has a little bit more juice as a pass rusher to me makes a little more sense.

[Marcus Moser]

All right, let's talk about another guy that could potentially, potentially be available when the Cowboys pick at number 92. We'll talk about Romello height next.

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[Marcus Moser]

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[Marcus Moser]

Welcome back to the Lockdown Cowboys podcast. We'd like to thank you for making us your first listen every single day. All right, let's talk about the most productive of the three pass rushers and that's Romello height from Texas Tech. And this one's tricky because you are getting an undersized pass rusher. He came in at under 6 foot 3, under 240 pounds. He will also be 25 during his rookie season. But Romello height was awesome last year. What did you see when you turned on the tape?

[Landon McCool]

Yeah, I mean, I saw that and I'll just lead this off by saying I would rather have romela height at 94 than either of these other two guys at 20. You know, to be clear like that. I think, and I think because he

[Marcus Moser]

played for Auburn like a decade ago.

[Landon McCool]

No, because, look, just because Keonte Scott, is that, is that what this is like, you think? All right. No, I, I think it's because it wasn't like a decade ago at this point. I think for me it's what we just talked about. We need pass rush and this guy is the best pass rusher of these three. Like there's no doubt in my mind. At least he's kind of a high cut athlete. He's undersized as you said. He's got short arms. He's kind of, kind of a thin build, especially in the lower body. But he's extremely, you know, he's, he's got the ankle hip and flexion to run underneath the table. He's got the balance to keep momentum going despite strong contact from, from blockers. He alters stride length to interfere with blockers punch timing. He's, he's, he's also extremely comfortable dropping into coverage. I don't know if you saw any of his, his coverage, but he looked, I did.

[Marcus Moser]

I watched them all.

[Landon McCool]

Yeah, he looked really good. Like he, like he was moving like a, like an off ball linebacker and I guess he is off ball linebacker size so that makes sense. But I mean it's, you still never know. Sometimes you get these guys that are these undersized pass rushers and they're a little bit more linear, right? They're a little bit more just kind of up the field. Not this guy. He's really good mover in space, plays on his toes, violent hands. He's relentless with his hands. When he plays with leverage, he is really difficult to stop, but he does that kind of inconsistently. He immediately presses tackles by capturing the edge with explosiveness. And then from there he'll. He has a variety of moves to kind of, you know, with power and speed to power, swipe, chop, rip, inside spin, outside spin, inside outside spin, double spins. The guy does a lot of spin moves. He gets his hands into the tackle's chest and then he gets his hands above his eyes and he pushes them back into the backfield. His lack of length can show up at times when he gets like enveloped by tackles in the run game. Like, it just seems like you see it with other guys. Sometimes the tackle will just try to envelop them and they're able to kind of cleanly get themselves off and then, you know, try to run around the guy. There's too many times when I see him just get swallowed by big offensive tackles. Lack of sand in his pants at high pad level causes issues for him in the run game, but not effort. Like, he's constantly running and trying and he's a really hard player. Hard, hard worker. You know, he constantly on the move. Excellent backside defender in pursuit to the ball carrier. This is the guy that you want pursuing the backside versus zone. Runs the opposite side. He's ideal for a 3, 4 outside linebacker due to his size and ability to drop in a zone and move cleanly. Where does he win? Developed pass rusher who needs run defense work. Unanswered questions. Can he become a more balanced player? I mean, I really have questions of his ability to be a good run defender consistently, but you can draft this guy right now and have him as your defensive pass rusher, like a specialized role. And this guy will give you help in the pass rush. I think pretty soon.

[Marcus Moser]

By the way, he turns 25 on April13. So you are getting an older player. And it's because he's well traveled. Two years at Auburn in 20, 20, 20 21. Two years at USC, 22 and 23. One year at Georgia Tech and then one year at Texas Tech. I mean, he's been all over. There's not going to be very many players at UC playing at four different schools. But I do like him and I think he could be of value. I think my only question is, is he? Is he Nick Herbig, the player that we've been trying to trade for, for three months now. Right. The Pittsburgh outside linebacker who is 6 3, 240 pounds but is so dynamic off the edge. Or is he more of the James Houston variety where yes, he's a good pass rusher, but it's hard to get him on the field for more than 1012 snaps a game because you kind of have to put him on the field and in obvious passing situations and he's got to be one of your top two or three pure pass rushers. I think he's a good fit in this defense, but I think, I think late third round is probably where he should go.

[Landon McCool]

Yes, absolutely. And I was going to answer your question that he's closer to Houston than he is to her big right. And I think that's why immediately you think that you've got to play him mostly in passing situations early. Right. And, and, and I just think in, in the run game, you know, you got to understand that he's going to be a liability early. He's just, he doesn't have the strength. And like, especially in the NFL, man, some of these bigger tackles will, will eat him up, you know. So I, I do think that's why we're talking about him in the third round.

[Marcus Moser]

Right.

[Landon McCool]

In the late third round, not in the first round. Because if he was able to be a pass rusher like he is and was able to play the run like, you know, decently enough to play all three downs, he probably would be a first round pick. Again.

[Marcus Moser]

I'm, I'm asking this question knowing that I like him, why wouldn't I just take a player in that similar range like Derek Moore from Michigan, who has more upside, who's younger, that projects more as an every down player versus a guy like Romello Height, who he's already going to be 25 and he might be maxed out right now.

[Landon McCool]

I think that it's. It. I think it probably. He's one of these rare players that. It probably depends on where you are in your timeline of team building. Right. I, I think if of all the people in this class so far that I've seen or at least that I've witnessed, he is one of the guys that I think could come in and have the most production early on. Right. As a pass rusher. Right. But he's not ever going to get too much better than where he is because like you said, he's 25, he's, he doesn't have much room to grow. Like in, he may be getting in an NFL locker room will help him, but probably not that much. And honestly, you don't want to take away from what, make what makes him special by trying to add too much weight to him. So I, I think a guy like Moore doesn't have as high a floor immediately, but all those athletic gifts that he have will, you know, get him where he needs to be in the long run. So that's why you're taking this guy in the third round instead of the first round is because he could do it right away. But that's all he's gonna be like. He's, he's a fully, a fully developed pack, you know, package that he rides in your door, you open it up, you put him in your defense, he's not going to probably get any better than that. But you know, at least you've got something right away.

[Marcus Moser]

My prediction is he actually goes on day three because I just think teams are going to see he's too limited and he's probably maxed out. And if he's the picket 112 for the Cowboys, I would be very happy. But I'm not sure that he goes on day two. But we'll see. All right, that is it for today's show. We'd like to thank you for making Laton Cowboys your first listen every single day. Make sure you subscribe and follow the podcast so you get all of the latest episodes. And if you never miss an episode, the Everydayer club is built for you. Get lots on Cowboys ad free plus members only Discord Access and so much more than head over to lockdown 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 Landon on Twitter @mccoolbcb. I'm arcusmozier and we will see you right back here tomorrow.

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[Landon McCool]

Another day, another buzz delayed.

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[Marcus Moser]

You don't mind running late.

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[Marcus Moser]

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[Landon McCool]

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