Evaluating draft talent has become a booming industry over the last decade. However, the majority of NFL fanbases don’t speak scout lingo and can get lost in conversations about hip tightness and ankle flexion. One of the best ways for casual fans to sift through 40-yard dash times and broad jump lengths is for those who do dissect these measurables and observations with ease to make comparisons to current professionals.
NFL Wire’s Doug Farrar has done just that, identifying current and recent NFL stars to whom this batch of prospects are most comparable. Obviously not a one-for-one, but finding a player who has similar athleticism and play style can go a long way to sorting through all of the evaluations. In his latest article, Farrar takes on the top 50 and has four comparisons of note for Cowboys fans.
For the best local Austin news, sports, entertainment and culture coverage, subscribe to the Austin American-Statesman.
40. O’Cyrus Torrence, OG, Florida: Mike Iupati
Vasha Hunt-USA TODAY Sports
Selected with the 17th overall pick in the 2010 draft out of Idaho, Iupati was a massive (6-foot-5, 331-pound) guard who won far more with power than speed and agility. There is still a place for those big earthmovers in today’s NFL (Iupati made four Pro Bowls and had one All-Pro nod) as long as they have enough athleticism to get past the obvious transitive issues with this kind of size and strength. Torrence has snaps in which this seems possible, but it might not happen overnight.
If the first thought that crosses is that Iupati never wore a Cowboys uniform that would be correct. However, Iupati’s selection by the 49ers saw him become the anchor to their offensive line; an offensive line that was constructed under the stewardship of new Cowboys OL coach Mike Solari.
San Francisco was Solari’s most impactful stop, bringing them from a club that didn’t have much blocking success to one which ranked among the league’s best. When Solari left, the 49ers rankings plummeted again.
If he’s looking to duplicate that effort, Torrence being an Iupati clone is an interesting comparison. The Cowboys met with Torrence at this year’s scouting combine but haven’t been publicly linked to him since.
39. Michael Mayer, TE, Notre Dame: Jason Witten
I could also go with Zach Ertz, although Ertz has been a bit more explosive throughout his career. Instead, let’s look at Witten, selected by the Cowboys in the third round of the 2003 draft out of Tennessee. Witten was nobody’s idea of a speed demon, and he wouldn’t necessarily fit the modern prototype of the detached big receiver masquerading positionally as a tight end, but he made 11 Pro Bowls and had two All-Pro nods because he was consistent, tough , and fearless on the field. He maximized his abilities, and I think Mayer will do the same in his own way with similar athletic limitations.
If one thinks the Cowboys front office leans towards nostalgia, one can see the obvious attraction to a first-round TE who reminds of the club’s best third-round pick in the last 20 years.
Mayer has been heavily linked to the Cowboys by local insiders, which is intriguing because Dallas has not made any public overtures to the prospect. No combine meeting, no national 30 visit and no contingent sent to Notre Dame for their Pro Day.
35. Will McDonald IV, EDGE, Iowa State: Robert Quinn
Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports
I’m not going to compare McDonald to Dwight Freeney, although there are similarities in the spin techniques and the ability to create turnovers. So, I’ll go with Quinn, selected with the 14th pick of the 2011 draft by the Rams. Quinn has parlayed a smooth, quick, athletic tool box to 106 sacks, 505 total pressures, and 26 forced fumbles in his NFL career so far. It’s hard to give an accurate comp for McDonald right now because he’ll be used so differently in the NFL (at the edge as opposed to inside the tackles in a bunch of three-man fronts), and to his great advantage. I can’t wait to see what he does at the next level.
Quinn’s time with the Cowboys predates this coaching staff, but not the front office. In one of their savior moves which was the predecessor to this offseason’s trade haul, the Cowboys got Quinn’s services via a sixth-round pick trade where his salary was reduced. He then went out to bookend DeMarcus Lawrence and tallied 11.5 sacks.
The Cowboys have been heavily involved with McDonald, bringing him in for a national visit after Dan Quinn worked him out at the Iowa State Pro Day.
20. Peter Skoronski, OL, Northwestern: Zack Martin
Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports
It’s the automatic comparison for every top-level tackle who kicks to guard at the next level, but in Skoronski’s case, it’s a good fit with his power, technical refinement, and playing demeanor. A tackle at Notre Dame, Martin was selected by the Cowboys with the 16th overall pick in the 2014 draft, and he’s racked up eight Pro Bowls and six All-Pro nods since. I do think that Skoronski will be better inside, but it’ll be an acceptable compromise if he maximizes his attributes there.
The Cowboys are in need of a guard and Skoronski is projected to move inside, although most think he’ll be gone well before Dallas is on the clock.
Story originally appeared on Cowboys Wire