If you’re like me, you have to admit The Dallas Cowboys surprised you this season by fielding a top defense for once, but it’s obvious their secondary is still an issue. In my piece yesterday, I wrote over two prospects the team could trade up in the first round for and brought up LSU Cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. as a player that could immediately help the franchise, but I got a lot of flak for the pick.
To ease those fans who felt uneasy trading up for him, or angry that I considered the trade up, I provide a defensive back the team could land on Day 2 that offers a freakish skill set and seems to be just scratching the surface of his potential.
UTSA Cornerback Tariq Woolen
Woolen, who was recruited initially as a wide receiver, fully transitioned to cornerback for the Roadrunners in 2019, and started for them in 2020 and 2021. In his senior season, he had 61 tackles, five tackles for a loss, 1.5 sacks, two interceptions, and only allowed 3 TDs on 42 targets.
During NFL Draft preparations, Woolen was given the label of a “small school prospect to keep your eye on,” but after his performances at the Senior Bowl and NFL Combine, it seemed like everyone couldn’t keep their eyes off him.
If your team needs a cornerback and can’t get one in Round 1, this class has plenty of starters that will be available on Day 2. Tariq Woolen (UTSA) is the most talented of the bunch… as confirmed by his outrageous Combine showing! pic.twitter.com/HcBH0o3LfP
— Todd McShay (@McShay13) March 8, 2022
While he may not be rated among the cream of the crop cornerback prospects, Woolen would become a viable option for the Cowboys if they didn’t want to trade up for an Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner or Stingley Jr.
If you look at his combine, the number that pops out the most has to be his 4.26 40-Yard Dash, which was the fastest-ever for a CB that was 6-foot or taller and weighed more than 200 pounds. Additionally, Woolen had the 6th-highest vertical jump for cornerbacks in NFL History at 42 inches, so there is no denying the Cowboys wouldn’t be getting a crazy-gifted player for their secondary.
📊 Official #NFLCombine22 numbers for @_Tariqwoolen #BuiltByUTSA | #BirdsUp 🤙 pic.twitter.com/HZFQVJCT3z
— UTSA Football 🏈 (@UTSAFTBL) March 7, 2022
Now as it seems more of the talk around Woolen is around his athletic traits than his game tape, I feel the franchise couldn’t pass up because of them, and they would bank on his developing him under Defensive Coordinator Dan Quinn and Defensive Backs Coach Joe Whitt Jr.
Woolen would ultimately give the Cowboys another playmaker on their defense, and he would match up better with some of the bigger wide receivers that took advantage of Trevon Diggs and the other defensive backs this year.
So, now ask yourself, why not Woolen?
