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The Dallas Cowboys turned in two picks in the third round of the 2021 NFL Draft: UCLA defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa and Iowa defensive end Chauncey Golston — both of which were major reaches, according to renowned draft expert Matt Miller.
“Cover your eyes, #Cowboys fans. I had Osa Odighizuwa as a Day 3 pick. Would love to be proven wrong there,” Miller tweeted.
“Sorry, Dallas. Both DL picks in Round 3 were reaches on my board. I have a great amount of respect for Will McClay, but these picks are head-scratchers,” he added.
Osa – Ranked No. 228 overall
Golston – Ranked No. 242 overall
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Odighizuwa Scouting Report/Fit in Dallas
A four-year contributor for the Bruins, the 6-foot-2, 280-pound defender racked up 120 total tackles (67 solo, 27.5 for loss), 11.5 sacks and two forced fumbles across 37 career games from 2017-2020. He earned first-team All-Pac-12 honors as a senior, logging 12 solo stops, six TFLs and four sacks over just seven appearances.
The brother of former Giants defensive end Owa Odighizuwa, the versatile Osa offers position flexibility, as he’s able to effectively plug the run and rush the passer, though he will require some next-level development in the latter department.
“‘Tweener’ with combination of size and athletic ability that lands him somewhere between base end and three-technique,” NFL.com analyst Lance Zierlein wrote in his scouting profile. “Odighizuwa has experience playing in just about every alignment imaginable, so he could be ahead of the game from a playbook standpoint. He plays with excellent first-step quickness and good bend that gives him the early advantage as a gap worker and pass rusher. He lacks the mass and anchor strength to handle NFL power as a full-time interior defender. However, his spirited pass rush features quick, efficient hands and non-stop movement, which makes blockers work to keep him out of the gaps. He’s rarely overwhelmed at the point of attack, so more mass and play strength could elevate him beyond a rotational backup with sub-package rush potential.”
Odighizuwa will be deployed at various spots by new Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn. It’s possible he’s stationed along the interior, rotating with Neville Gallimore and Trysten Hill, or works opposite Demarcus Lawrence at DE, leapfrogging free-agent addition Carlos Watkins.
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Golston Scouting Report/Fit in Dallas
Golston was also a four-year collegian who tallied 71 solo tackles, 27 TFLs, 12 sacks, seven pass deflections and three interceptions across 36 games from 2017-2020. He notched a career-best 5.5 sacks as a senior, which juiced his pre-draft stock.
The 6-foot-5, 269-pounder wins by converting athleticism into power around the line of scrimmage. He lacks elite pass-rushing prowess, however, and forecasts as a situational contributor in the pros. Like Miller, Zierlein pegged Golston as a late Day 3 prospect.
“Base end prospect for a 4-3 defense with potential to reduce inside for sub-packages,” reads his scouting profile. “Golston has added good weight on his frame since coming to Iowa, but holding the point of attack and setting a strong edge will be a challenge for him due to his lack of play strength. While his rush off the edge is ordinary, he flashes as a disruptive interior rusher able to slip into gaps and make some noise. There are some physical traits to work with, so he could find work if he can add more strength and keep improving his rush.”
Golston provides a boost to the edges behind Lawrence, Bradlee Anae, Dorance Armstrong and Randy Gregory. He doesn’t have the sure path to 2021 snaps that Odighizuwa possesses.
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Cowboys Make ‘Head-Scratching’ Picks in 3rd Round of 2021 Draft