If and when you tune in to the NFL Combine this year, you'll probably be focusing on the better known names. Luck vs. RGIII, how fast is Dre Kirkpatrick, what is David DeCastro's bench press, how agile is Quinton Coples, etc. etc. But when some of the lesser known names take the stage, you'll be wondering who to root for.
Not anymore.
Every year, in addition to 30 usually high profile national draft-eligible players the Cowboys bring in for pre-draft visits, they also bring in some draft-eligible local prospects who are usually less well known.
These visits by local prospects usually happen in early to mid April and are known as "Dallas Days". Players qualify as a 'local prospect' if they attended one of the many high schools within the Dallas-Fort Worth metro area or played for SMU or TCU. These "Dallas Days" have delivered their share of Cowboys players in the past, with the likes of Patrick Crayton, Brandon Williams, Jacques Reeves, Stephen Hodge, Bryan McCann and Dez Bryant, as well as last year's rookies Phillip Tanner, Raymond Radway and Josh Thomas.
We don't yet know which local prospects the Cowboys will invite this year, but we do know which of the 328 players invited to the Combine would qualify as local prospects for the Cowboys.
After the break we list the 15 local players attending the Combine this year, many of whom you've probably never heard of.
Thanks to BTB member sgitr for doing the legwork to find these names, and without further ado, here are the local prospects:
| CBS rank | Projected Round | Player | POS | Combine # | College | High School | Hometown |
| 92 | 3 | Jamell Fleming | CB | DB14 | Oklahoma | Seguin | Arlington |
| 98 | 3 | Cyrus Gray | RB | RB10 | Texas A&M | DeSoto | DeSoto |
| 122 | 3-4 | Chris Givens | WR | WO16 | Wake Forest | Wylie | Wylie |
| 132 | 4 | Keenan Robinson | ILB | LB26 | Texas | Plano East | Plano |
| 161 | 4-5 | Jeff Fuller | WR | WO15 | Texas A&M | Boyd | McKinney |
| 167 | 5 | Emmanuell Acho | ILB | LB01 | Texas | St Mark's | Dallas |
| 198 | 5-6 | Jacquies Smith | OLB | DL48 | Missouri | South Oak Cliff | Dallas |
| 233 | 6-7 | Tank Carder | ILB | LB07 | TCU | Sweeny | Sweeny |
| 249 | 7 | D'Anton Lynn | CB | DB33 | Penn St. | Celina | Celina |
| 271 | 7-FA | Kelvin Beachum | OT | OL05 | SMU | Mexia | Mexia |
| 288 | 7-FA | James Hanna | TE | TE07 | Oklahoma | Flower Mound | Flower Mound |
| 314 | 7-FA | Ron Brooks | CB | DB08 | LSU | Macarthur | Irving |
| 320 | 7-FA | Patrick Witt | QB | QB19 | Yale | Wylie | Wylie |
| 334 | 7-FA | Jamie Blatnick | OLB | DL04 | Oklahoma St. | Celina | Celina |
| 601 | FA | Josh LeRibeus | OG | OL28 | SMU | Berkner | Richardson |
The players are arranged according to how they rank on the CBSSports big board. The 'Combine #' is the number they'll be wearing throughout the various Combine events.
While a few names on the list will be familiar to the some Cowboys fans, many of the names will have even hardcore draftniks scrambling for their draft manuals. But with this list in hand, you'll know who to root for once the lesser known names take the stage at the Combine - you never know, one of them might end up a Cowboy.
If nothing else, us this list to get a head start on your pet cats this year. But if you're planning on watching the Combine, think of this as your Cowboys Rooting Guide for the Combine, and bookmark it!!
1 recs | 67 comments
Cyrus Gray is a bad mofo
only the diminishing value of RBs could push that guy down to the 3rd round
AustonianAggie - February 15, 2012
Spoken like a true aggie.
football mensa - February 15, 2012
Yup, only an aggie would be excited about a running back who is:
Pretty solid in pass protection.
3rd in all purpose yards in the Big 12 behind Darren Sproles and DeMarco Murray.
In a single season had 6 straight games with over 100 yards and not once was there a worry that his hamstring would blow.
And, was able to do all of this starting out as the back up to Christine Michael, then when Michael got injured, stepping up, and then when Michael recovered, splitting the carrying duties. (As a note, when he ran 100+ yards in 6 straight games, Michael was injured, so the running duties were almost exclusively on Grey. When Michael came back at the beginning of the season, grey’s numbers dropped due to splitting carries.).
Or, were you just talking about the use of the word ‘mofo,’ because that’s not really an Aggie thing.
Grimlock83 - February 16, 2012
I don't know what would bother me more
Dallas spending a top pick on a player from U of Texas or Dallas having a guy who was a Berkner Ram on the roster
AustonianAggie - February 15, 2012
This is one of a million reasons I LOVE BTB. Thanks for doing the footwork for me!
phoenix11 - February 15, 2012
I'll be rooting for Antwuan Reed from Pitt
Local boy from my town who played at Pitt as CB and had a pretty good college career there. He’ll be a late rounder but if he runs fast, could be a mid round pick.
I think he would be a nice 4th CB for us and he has nice return skills as well.
Terry - February 15, 2012
J.Hosley is my pet cat & has really good hips, speed, ballskills & has great return skills also
he was a 4th rounder & now i’m seeing him more in the 3rd round but after combine it wouldn’t surprise me if some team took him late in the 2nd.
the kids an instant starter in the slot
DCNation73 - February 15, 2012
I've even seen him going late first
Screw this Janoris Jenkins talk. We can easily get Fleming and Hosley and still be loaded. Both are future All-Pros IMO
soonercowboy14 - February 15, 2012
Please Cowboys FO JUST SAY NO
To Jeff Fuller. He’s Roy E. Williams 2.0
I was watching some games to get a feel for Ryan Tannehill, and the one thing that stood out to me was Jeff Fuller’s bad hands.
He put those bad hands on display at the Senior Bowl during the practices and the game.
Rohpuri - February 15, 2012
I wouldn't mind taking a flyer on Ryan Swope.
Welker 2.0
IrishP1 - February 15, 2012
Now there's a guy who I would love to see in this offense
But we’ll have to wait a year for him
Rohpuri - February 15, 2012
Let me guess -
Ryan Swope is small…
Welker is only good with Brady…
People do not understand this….
Rome One - February 15, 2012
Yeah, Welker was so terrible in his first 2 seasons in Miami...
with such great QB’s in Frerotte and Harrington.
casew - February 15, 2012
Sure
It’s not like Belicheck said they got Welker because he was the one opponent they consistintely couldn’t cover or something….
Oh wait, he did say that.
redandy - February 15, 2012
Tannehill has done a great job considering he was a WR not long ago.
i’d probably take Tannehill over someone like Locker or Ponder in last years draft but i dont think he’s ready to start his rookie season.
DCNation73 - February 15, 2012
Not many pass rushers on that list...
Antonio S - February 15, 2012
Let's hope Tank Carder
wasn’t one of the players busted in the drug test TCU did on Feb. 1. I just read through the arrest reports and one of the undercover cops said that Tanner Brock (linebacker) expected 60 (Yes, SIXTY) players to flunk the test. If nothing else, guilt-by-association is gonna hurt Tank Carder at least somewhat if anywhere near that number of players flunked a drug test at TCU.
Tennessee_Jed - February 15, 2012
Thats gonna get messy
Antonio S - February 15, 2012
I don't think we'll see any TCU guys in Cowboys gear anytime soon.
From the DMN today:
One.Cool.Customer - February 15, 2012
hahaha Big 12 takes it on the chin
AustonianAggie - February 15, 2012
thing is busting college kids smoking pot is like telling at an ocean to stop it’s tide. This is dumb. Hell weed is probably safer for the kids than Hydrocodone
AustonianAggie - February 15, 2012
no drugs safe when being misused.
weed effects peoples brains & i’d stay away from any idiot who threw there career down the drain to catch a buzz. theres plently of people in college who are smart enough to stay away drugs & giving them a pass for being college students is crazy imo. at that age you should know better & while you can people 2nd chances you cant fix dumb
DCNation73 - February 15, 2012
good point
On not being able to fix dumb, imagine what Dez could do if we were able too tho. I can only imagine
P.N.Westernboysfan - February 15, 2012 via iPhone app
Dez has C.Johnson or A.Johnson talent but can't figure out the playbook so far.
forget measurables & footballs not rocket science. seriously if Dez doesn’t look like the clear cut #1 this season then i dont have much faith he’ll ever be more then a JAG.
all the measurables & talent in the world doesnt fix dumb
DCNation73 - February 15, 2012
agreed
It’s just…. That’s the hardest of all problems to solve. I wonder how low his wonderlict test was?
P.N.Westernboysfan - February 15, 2012 via iPhone app
Jag? Please
There aren’t many JAGs that catch 9 td in their second yr in the league.
emmitthound - February 15, 2012
not a JAG
Dez don’t even know how to spell JAG. That’s the whole thing about him he’s gotta start gettin it imagine what he’s gonna be able to do when it all clicks.
P.N.Westernboysfan - February 15, 2012 via iPhone app
Give it a chance
He will do more when he gets more targets. Don’t know many 2nd and third options that catch 90 passes and 1300 yards. His production was right on line with where he should be. This is his third yr, first training camp, when blows up this year just be happy he’s on our squad.
emmitthound - February 15, 2012
AustonianAggie
I agree with you somewhat, but this story is different.
These were players busted for being dealers (not just having a joint or scoring some weed for a friend, but being serious dealers). Also, the “surprise” drug test came after the head coach was informed by a “prize recruit” (according to the FW Star Telegram) that he would not be attending TCU due to the team’s “drug problem.” To me that’s a huge issue for the school and program.
Look, I’m not gonna blame a college kid for smoking a little weed, even ol’ Tennessee Jed tried a little weed in college, but these were serious dealers. Also, if more than half your team flunks a drug test that’s just crazy, especially when recruits are signing elesewhere due to the problem.
Tennessee_Jed - February 15, 2012
I guess I didn’t read too far in to the article. I thought as of last year TCU was the cleanest program in college? What the heck happened?
AustonianAggie - February 15, 2012
whatever happened to TCU being the only program that background tested it’s players?
AustonianAggie - February 15, 2012
You guess you "didn't read too far" into the article?
Well, heck, that’s what I would expect from an Aggie. ;-)
(I kid. I kid. LOL!)
Tennessee_Jed - February 15, 2012
sbnation reported that it wasn't just weed
shrooms, pcp, ecstasy, etc
BigBlueIntervention - February 15, 2012
BigBlue
I didn’t know Lawrence Taylor was in Fort Worth. ;-)
Tennessee_Jed - February 15, 2012
Was chillin' there with Michael Irvin
:)))))
BigBlueIntervention - February 15, 2012
DOH!
You got me!
Tennessee_Jed - February 15, 2012
ha!
BigBlueIntervention - February 15, 2012
@ least the playmaker knows the age of consent is 18 lol
DarkKnight88 - February 16, 2012
DarkKnight88
LOL! That’s just funny! Maybe LT can’t count that high?
Tennessee_Jed - February 16, 2012
I wouldn't doubt it man
LT great player n all but off the field he’s useless.
DarkKnight88 - February 16, 2012
seriously these men knew drug testing was part of the policy, rules & didnt care.
my oldest daughter is going to college next year & i’d love her but i wouldn’t support her 1 bit if she threw her education/career down the drain for a buzz.
shes 17 (almost 18) & has enough common sense to know what they crap does to the brain.
DCNation73 - February 15, 2012
"What exit do I take to get to TCU???"
- “Tank” Johnson
Rome One - February 15, 2012
Sam Hurd anyone?
DCNation73 - February 15, 2012
LOL
Sammy said … “TCU….small potatoes….”
Rome One - February 15, 2012
Robinson
How is Robinson falling to the fourth round? Didn’t get to see a whole lot of him living where I do, but what I did see was a very athletic and instinct full beast of a LB at UT
P.N.Westernboysfan - February 15, 2012 via iPhone app
i dont have any clue about Robinson but i thought him & Acho were decent players
Hanna TE & Brooks from LSU would be great pick ups if they went undrafted.
DCNation73 - February 15, 2012
I had to comment
I just saw Jacques Reeves name mentioned in a post…
That is the funniest thing I have seen all day! : )
Thank Thank Thank You One Cooool Client for making me laugh my rear off remembering Jacques Reeves….
Hahahahaha
Rome One - February 15, 2012
yeah that name caught my eye
wasn’t the Texans the team that overpaid for his lack of skills?
DCNation73 - February 15, 2012
I'm still laughing....
I may need medical attention….
Jacques Reeves….in action!!!!
Rome One - February 15, 2012
Who was that giant Free Safety from Florida State - like 6'05" Parcells took
Thinking he would lock down the position????
Another laugher!!!!
Rome One - February 15, 2012
Watkins
The galloping giraffe…
TheCowboyWay - February 15, 2012
Patrick Watkins
I remember him getting embarrassed against the Eagles a few times. His one good moment came in a game against Minnesota in 2007 when Chris Canty (sigh) blocked a field goal and he returned it for the TD.
MicThaRock - February 16, 2012
Patrick Watkins...Watch DeSean grab his facemask and wave bye bye
Rohpuri - February 16, 2012
D'Anton Lynn
Better than Alan Ball right now.
Today.
February 15, 2012
Rome One - February 15, 2012
D'Anton Lynn
6’, 200+ Lbs. Good size for a CB. I think he played some at FS.
Speed? IDK how fast he is, or isn’t.
1Bullseye - February 15, 2012
Ball is a 4.6 guy. But he's 6'2.
CotySaxman - February 16, 2012 via mobile
so is Antwuan Reed
Terry - February 16, 2012
Rico Wallace-The Sleeper WR of this year's draft
Mocking the Draft did a story on him yesterday. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Cowboys have already scouted him. He was invited to the combine, but he’s got his pro day at James Madison University on March 16th.
Rohpuri - February 15, 2012
Should say, he WASN'T invited to the combine
Rohpuri - February 15, 2012
Rico Wallace?
Is he related to Uncle Rico? Can he throw a football over a mountain?
Tennessee_Jed - February 15, 2012
Lol. He was a high school QB
He looks like he can probably jump over a mountain and catch the ball.
Rohpuri - February 15, 2012
good
I never wanted Tank Carder anyway
Tanner Brock was a guy mocked to the Cowboys recently, doubt he is one now unless he is a UDFA
is that really the only players from the Dallas area eligible for the Dallas Day? pretty weak Dallas Day class this year
Archie Barberio - February 15, 2012
thats the Dallasites who are in the combine
Dallas Day will feature a much wider swath of players
AustonianAggie - February 15, 2012
oh I didn't think of that
Archie Barberio - February 15, 2012
I wonder how many times in his life
Patrick Witt was called a nitwit?
Rohpuri - February 16, 2012
I think I've found one of my pet cats for this draft.
Jacquies Smith, he’s from an area not far from the one I lived while I was in high school in, he graduated from one of our most hated rivals, and plays at a position of need. No, he won’t come in and start as a rookie 5th round pick, but maybe he impresses some folks at the combine and goes in the 4th, maybe even to Dallas.
MicThaRock - February 16, 2012
Fleming's a guy I really really like
Watched him against Marvin McNutt and he did just about as well as Alonzo Dennard, really underrated player.
Omar Little - February 17, 2012
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