New defensive coordinator, standard drawback.
12 months in and 12 months out, it appears as if the inside of the Dallas Cowboys line of defense is the one place we are able to level to as a weak hyperlink on the roster. The 2025 season affords up the identical problem, making Matt Eberflus’ job that rather more troublesome as Dallas’ new DC.
Outdoors of re-signing Osa Odighizuwa to as soon as once more maintain down the beginning job on the ever vital 3-technique place in Eberflus’ 4-3 scheme, the Cowboys didn’t spend huge so as to add to the place. Odighizuwa is among the higher 3-techniques within the league and an ideal slot in Eberflus’ scheme. And, one may argue, if he had somewhat extra assist round him he possesses Professional Bowl potential.
Minus Odighizuwa, there’s a query of whether or not the DT place will probably be any higher than it has been underneath earlier defensive coordinators in Dallas. Mazi Smith nonetheless hasn’t lived as much as his first-round draft standing. The Cowboys did add some assist in free company by including Solomon Thomas, however he’s beginning the bottom of his profession. He’ll contribute, however how a lot is tough to say.
Dallas waited till the seventh spherical to aim to improve the place within the 2025 NFL Draft. With the 217th and 247th general choose, the Cowboys drafted Jay Toia and Tommy Akingbesote so as to add some much-needed depth to the DT place. As seventh-round picks although, not a lot is anticipated of them to make vital impacts as rookies.
Of the 2 although, Jay Toia has a fairly good shot at changing into a stable rotation piece in 2025, taking away a few of the snaps from Mazi Smith. Whereas he was a late-round choose, there are those that had him graded a number of rounds earlier, like The Athletic’s Dane Brugler.
Per Dane Brugler’s “The Beast”:
A 3-year starter at UCLA, Toia was the zero/one-technique in defensive coordinator Ikaika Malloe’s 3-3-5 base scheme. His manufacturing on paper doesn’t bounce out, however the tape exhibits a participant keen to chew up blocks within the center, releasing linebackers and ends to make performs.
When he performs with constant leverage, Toia is ready to put down roots and shut down inside operating lanes. Nonetheless, he should proceed to develop his instincts to create sort out alternatives, as a substitute of simply taking over room. Total, Toia won’t have the size or consciousness to be a full-time two-gapper within the NFL, however he has a robust base and bodily fingers to neutralize the purpose of assault. He initiatives as a scheme-versatile nostril sort out.
GRADE: Third-4th Spherical
Toia possesses the ability set to probably push Mazi Smith for the beginning job as Dallas’ 1-technique, regardless of being a seventh-round choose. All of the intangibles are there for him to succeed, however first he’ll should catch the attention of the teaching employees and outperform his competitors.
That is not fully out of the query contemplating Smith has not as of but been in a position to shed the first-round bust label. In actual fact, with a brand new DC and training employees, he doesn’t have a real lock on the job, opening up the door for Toia.
Nonetheless he’s used, Toia needs to be a major a part of the Cowboys DL this season if he performs to his expertise in coaching camp and preseason. And due to that, will probably be a significant a part of Dallas’ success or failure together with Odighizuwa, a fellow UCLA alumni.
