Dallas has two first-round picks and a clear defensive priority. But if the board breaks right, Jordyn Tyson could be too good to pass up at No. 12.
The Dallas Cowboys attended Jordyn Tyson's private workout Friday. So did over 20 other teams, including multiple general managers. That level of interest in a player who has not worked out in front of scouts since the bench press at the Scouting Combine tells you everything about how the football world views his talent.
Tyson is a 6-foot-2, 203-pound wide receiver out of Arizona State who many scouts consider the most gifted receiver in this entire class when healthy. He ran a 32% or higher target share in each of his seasons with the Sun Devils, hauled in 75 catches for 1,101 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2024, and followed that with 61 catches for 711 yards and eight scores in nine games last season. His route running, separation ability and ball tracking are legitimate WR1 traits at the next level.
The problem is the word "healthy.''
Tyson tore his ACL, MCL and PCL in 2022 as a freshman at Colorado, barely played in 2023 after transferring to Arizona State, broke his collarbone late in the 2024 season, and then re-aggravated a hamstring injury during draft prep that caused him to miss both the combine and the Arizona State pro day. Injuries have touched every single college season.
ESPN's Matt Miller noted he is trending in the wrong direction heading into draft week, with scouts flagging the hamstring as a legitimate concern that could push him into the back half of the first round ... though our Mike Fisher is reporting, "I'm hearing that teams in the top 12, like the Saints and the Giants, might be attracted to him.''
Somewhere in here is where Dallas - with its Jerry Jones-driven "redshirt'' issue - comes in.
The Cowboys hold picks No. 12 and No. 20 and enter the draft with defense as the clear priority. Linebacker, cornerback and pass rusher are all genuine needs.
But if the Cowboys' top defensive targets are gone by No. 12, maybe a player like Tyson becomes a real option rather than a long shot.
Dallas has done exactly this before. CeeDee Lamb was not a defensive player, either, but when he fell in 2020 the Cowboys did not hesitate.
The front office has shown a willingness to take the best player available when the board breaks right.
Would drafting a receiver also serve as future insurance against a problem with franchise-tagged star George Pickens? That's a valid thought.
The risk is real and every team in that workout room knows it. Tyson has missed roughly a third of his available college games and skipped both the combine and his pro day. Friday was his one chance to change the conversation.
Thursday night in Pittsburgh will tell us whether any of that mattered. ... to the Cowboys and other teams at the top of this draft.