The Dallas Cowboys are doing everything they can to position themselves for the 2024 NFL Draft. Beyond that, we can see them specifically focusing on their need for a strong running back. The team is bringing him in for a private workout at The Star in Frisco, Texas. Standout prospect Ashton Jeanty is slated for a great run as one of the top runners in his cycle. This event is just one piece of the Cowboys’ larger “Dallas Day” effort. In other words, their goal should be to better assess local talent and maximize their draft strategy.
Ashton Jeanty was playing high school football at Ford Center at The Star. Now, he’s become the front runner to land with the Cowboys. From all indications, it seems the team has zeroed in on Jeanty with the No. 12 pick in this year’s draft. They are dazzled by his remarkable play on the field and tempered with warmth for his in-depth knowledge as a local player. With the Cowboys’ private workout with Jeanty happening on Friday, this would indicate some extreme interest in bringing Jeanty on board.
The upcoming “Dallas Day” visit would be an exhilarating opportunity for Dallas Cowboys. They’ll join Jeanty and some 60 other elite prospects. This event provides the team a rare opportunity to run through a gauntlet of testing. It reflects the reality that’s faced by every player who attends the NFL Combine or Pro Days. During these visits, players complete a battery of tests and timed drills providing the Cowboys detailed information about their total athletic profile.
Notably, Jeanty’s participation in this private workout does not count against the Cowboys’ limit of 30 national visitors, an added advantage that allows them to maximize their scouting efforts without jeopardizing their roster of evaluated players. This exemption underscores the value of that local talent. The Cowboys are firmly committed to searching the Cowboys’ metropolitan area’s rich trove of football talent.
The Cowboys have a long track record of success tied to their “Dallas Day” visits. In 2004, they used this approach to get to know future Cowboy stars Patrick Crayton and Jacques Reeves. Furthermore, just like in 2022 when they picked OL Tyler Smith in the first round when he didn’t even visit The Star, this history demonstrates the impact of these events in informing the team’s decisions.
Dallas Cowboys executive and NFL executive Stephen Jones expressed optimism over the “Dallas Day” pilot program. As Reid explained, “It always seems like there are really good players when we have Dallas Day. It’s a great group of dudes. His remarks speak to the organization’s philosophy of developing homegrown talent and building rapport with future draft selections.
So the Cowboys can bring in each and every draft-eligible player from nearby schools. These host institutions are home to expanded employment centers of Southern Methodist University (SMU), Texas Christian University (TCU), and North Texas. This expansive outreach highlights the team’s commitment to identifying the best talent available while emphasizing their roots within Texas college football.
As NFL scouting guru Brian Gutekunst noted, this gives teams like Dallas a distinct advantage. They learn a recruiting advantage by being able to regularly get access to thousands of local prospects. He remarked on how teams situated in major metropolitan areas can capitalize on this opportunity, saying, “It’s always been a little bit of a disadvantage because if you’re Miami, [Los Angeles] or Dallas, where you have a bunch of pro prospects that come from your metropolitan area, and your ability to get basically a free 30 visit out of that.”
That buzz about Jeanty’s possible selection is an indication of the higher expectations for the Cowboys heading into this year’s draft. As Jason Garrett, former head coach of the Cowboys, would always stress on “Dallas Day,” it’s all about the quality of the workout. It ended up being, as he said, “As good a workout as we’ve ever had on Dallas Day.” Such endorsements only serve to prove the efficacy of such a unique scouting strategy.
Leave a Reply