Tariq Woolen is the prototype corner, but can he convince Cowboys to break commandments?

In every draft class, there’s a player that makes a team second-guess their rules of engagement. For the Dallas Cowboys, that could come in the form of a Texas cat with lightning speed and dominating size. Texas-San Antonio cornerback Tariq Woolen tested out of the park. The question is whether or not Dallas would eschew their 10 commandments and select a small-school player who wasn’t an official 30 visitor?

His 4.26 40-yard dash was good for second-best among all defensive backs at the combine, and his vertical of 42 inches was the best out of all defensive backs. He entered UTSA as a wide receiver and made the transition to cornerback his redshirt junior year. We all know the Cowboys like former receiver backgrounds in their corners, a la Trevon Diggs.

Measurables and Stats

Listed Height: 6-foot-4

Listed Weight: 205 pounds

Jersey Number: 20

Tackles (2021): 17 solo tackles, 25 total tackles

Impact Plays (2021): 2.5 tackles for loss, 1 interception, 5 pass deflections

Film Study Information:

Games Watched: SFA (2020), BYU (2020), North Texas (2020), Illinois (2021)

Best Game: SFA (2020)

Worst Game: North Texas (2020)

Physical Skills Evaluation:

Long speed: Ran a 4.26 at the combine, long speed is no concern for Woolen. Has very good recovery speed.

Run Support: Able to come off the edge on blitzes and disrupt the play, capable of funneling ball carrier back inside. It isn’t his strongest attribute by any measure, but he is more than capable.

COD Ability: Has very good closing speed. Able to flip his hips and stay in phase. Drops hips and charges downfield suddenly. Has moments of him being too high in his strides.

Tackling: Deconstructs block well against tight ends and receivers, and is able to make the stop. Physical hitter. Only concerns is when a pulling offensive lineman got hands on him.

Physicality/Toughness: Fights through contact during the stem of the route well, can be grabby at times; but it hasn’t affected him yet.

Performance Evaluation:

Man Coverage: Has long arms and uses them effectively in press. Side steps not to tip off the receiver in press man. Squeezes the route to the sideline. Stays on top of the routes quite often, when in man. Has fleshes of good technique, but it is not consistent.

Zone Coverage: Passes off route concepts well. Keeps the receivers in front of him. Closes space quickly.

Reaction/Recovery: Long speed, helps make up for any of the times he gets out of phase. Fantastic recovery ability, if he is ever out of the receivers hip pocket, he quickly gets back in position.

Ball skills: Physical at the catch point, fights through the receivers hands to break up the pass.

Awareness: Willing to come off his assignment and make the stop. Queues in on the receivers eyes and is able to recognize which receiver is tracking the ball if the routes are close.

Strengths:

Has amazing long speed, as he clocked a 4.26 official 40 yard dash time and it shows on tape. Excellent recovery ability, if he get’s out of phase his long speed allows him to recover quickly. Has very long arms and good technique in press coverage. Flips his hips well in space and is able to stay in phase.

Weaknesses:

Despite being a converted wide receiver, you saw some dropped interceptions in his film. Doesn’t deconstruct blocks well from pulling offensive lineman. Inexperience at the cornerback position. Saw laps in his press technique. Saw moments of him sidestepping when the ball is snapped, but it wasn’t consistent and often lunged at the receiver before moving his body. Can be a gambler at times.

Fit with the Cowboys:

If Woolen drafted by the Cowboys, fans shouldn’t expect a massive impact in Year 1. He needs time to develop a more consistent technique in press man and needs time to hone his ball skills. He could make a significant impact in Year 2 when Anthony Brown sees his contract expire, and there is a potential out in Jourdan Lewis’ contract as well.

He is similar to Diggs in the sense he is a converted receiver and can be a gambler at times, so if he was a selection by the Cowboys they would need to put a significant investment into the safety position to secure up the backend and make up for the times Diggs and Woolen get caught gambling. There is enough to be intrigued by however, he squeezes routes to the sideline in man, has fantastic recovery ability and elite top speed.

Prospect Grade:

Final Grade:

79.15, 3rd round grade

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