The Dallas Cowboys still have plenty of ways to improve the roster before the 2022 season, and that includes improving the defensive line.
Edge rusher DeMarcus Lawrence is set to lead the way on the line, and the team has added Dante Fowler Jr. after Randy Gregory made his shocking last-second swap to the Denver Broncos at the beginning of free agency.
However, the interior part of the defensive line could use reinforcement. Dorance Armstrong returns to the Cowboys to assist Carlos Watkins and Trysten Hill, but he’s a flex DE like Lawrence rather than an out-and-out defensive tackle.
A player with substantial experience at defensive tackle is Logan Hall. The Houston standout is set to be an early-round selection in the 2022 NFL draft, and Ian Rapoport is now reporting that the Cowboys have talked with Hall.
“#Houston DT Logan Hall, who most teams hope goes in round 2 but has a real chance to slide into round 1, has had Top 30 visits with the #Cowboys, #Texans, #Bucs, #Bears, #Bengals, #Titans, and #Giants,” Rapoport Tweeted on April 21. “The versatile tackle also had several personal position coach visits.”
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Hall Attracting Attention Out of Houston
Hall hails from Belton, Texas, where he played high school ball after initially being raised in Oklahoma. Houston liked what they saw out of the 6’6″, 283-pound athlete and signed him to their 2018 recruiting class.
PFR Shows that Hall had a bit of a slow burn after becoming a Cougar, appearing in games right away in college but not exploding statistically until his final year in Houston. In 23 games over his first three seasons, the flexible defensive lineman registered just one sack and 6.5 tackles for loss.
However, 2021 saw him break through on the stat sheet. Hall earned 13 tackles for loss and brought down the opposing quarterback six times. This was partially due to Hall lining up across the defensive line, which is one of the traits that makes him an exciting option in the draft.
Cowboys’ Day 1 Strategy Will Determine Hall’s Future
Dallas could go several different directions in the first two days of the draft, with offensive line, defensive line and wide receiver all projected as first-round selections by Bleacher Report, ESPN analyst Mel Kiper and The Athletic respectively, as seen here.
If owner Jerry Jones and the Cowboys decide to go offensive line or wide receiver with their No. 24 overall pick, Hall could be available with the team’s second-round pick. Conversely, it’s hard to imagine Dallas selecting another defensive lineman if they draft a Arnold Ebiketie or a David Ojabo in the first round.
The trait that works in Hall’s favor is that he’s versatile. While he’s spent most of the time as a defensive tackle, as NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein wrote in his scouting report.
“Hard-working, two-year starter with projectable frame and developmental traits whose best positional fit could be in the eye of the beholder,” Zierlein writes. “Hall played defensive tackle in college, but his playing style and physical profile are better suited for defensive end in a 3-4 alignment.”
The Cowboys don’t utilize a 3-4 alignment in defensive coordinator Dan Quinn’s defense, but the point remains that Hall can be molded to fit a defense.
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