Selecting the best Day 3 draft targets for Cowboys before the 2024 NFL Combine

With the NFL Scouting Combine set to kick off on Wednesday, we might start getting a better idea as to what the Dallas Cowboys are looking for through reports and through learning who they're visiting with.

This week, we've looked at the best draft targets for the team ahead of the Combine. So far, this is how it's looking like: 

• Round 1: OL Troy Fautanu, Washington
• Round 2: LB Edgerrin Cooper, Texas A&M
• Round 3: RB Braelon Allen, Wisconsin

Day 3 of the draft is a different animal, of course, as predicting who will be available is pretty much guesswork. But utilizing the consensus board and combining  with A to Z Sports draft/film expert James Foster's Draft Board, we'll try to identify some hidden gems the Cowboys should be looking at.

So without any further ado, let's dive in! 

Cowboys should target Auburn CB Nehemiah Pritchett in Round 5

The Cowboys have no fourth round pick at the moment having traded it for quarterback Trey Lance last year, so we're kicking off this post with a Round 5 target. 

Nehemiah Pritchett ranks 140th in the consensus board, which means he'll be in reach for Dallas at 173rd especially if they're willing to go up for him. Per Foster, Pritchett is a "suffocating press CB when he's aggressive & jams early, (has) explosive plant & drive and goes from 0 to 100 real quick, has the closing burst to squeeze quick slants/drags from off coverage."

Pritchett's testing in Indy will be intriguing to watch as there are concerns about his agility and change of direction as Foster explains he "lacks twitch & hip fluidity to cover horizontal breaks, and struggles to decelerate & mirror comebacks." 

The Cowboys could get thinner at CB as Stephon Gilmore and Jourdan Lewis are set to hit free agency in March. You can never have too many cornerbacks in this league. 

Round 6-7 targets 

• Wisconsin OC Tanor Bortolini: Ranks 177th in the consensus board and has 1,974 career starts, with experience at LG/C/RG/RT. The Cowboys could add depth in Bortoloni, who Foster explains has "good timing & feel for angles as a zone blocker.
• Florida OC Kingsley Eguakun: If not Bortolini, Eguakun could be another solid Day 3 option for iOL depth. Foster is much higher on him than consensus, ranking him 140th versus the consensus' 179th. Eguakun is a "dynamic athlete with a wide frame & explosive movement skills."
• Tennessee DB Kamal Hadden: Foster is also much higher on Hadden (250th consensus, 119th for A to Z Sports). Hadden has "has ideal size & length for any DB position, excellent ball skills. Made some acrobatic INTs/PBUs through contact."
• Notre Dame QB Sam Hartman: The Cowboys want a developmental QB even if they pay Dak Prescott. That's why they traded for Lance last year and I wouldn't be shocked if they throw another dart, be it Hartman or somebody else. 

Final word

Day 3 of the NFL Draft is all about the value and taking the best player available. When the Top 30 visits start coming out, we might get a better idea as to what they're looking at.