As things stand right now Blake Jarwin is expected to take over for Jason Witten as the Dallas Cowboys starting tight end in 2020. Whether that stands or not has yet to be seen, but it doesn't look as if the Cowboys are planning to put all their eggs in one basket just yet. Word is, they could be targeting UCLA Bruins TE Devin Asiasi in the 2020 NFL Draft.
According to Bobby Belt, Devin Asiasi is one of three players the Dallas Cowboys had a formal meeting with at the Scouting Combine, scheduled a 30 pre-draft visit, and conducted a video conference with. You can read into that what you want, but it certainly sounds as if the Cowboys are doing their homework on the former UCLA TE.
Asiasi has been flying a little bit under the radar amongst this year's TE draft class, but there are several “draft analysts” who believe he's a Top 5 player at the position. In fact, that's where Dane Brugler of The Athletic has him ranked in his 2020 NFL Draft Guide. He gave him a 3rd-4th round grade, meaning he could be in play for the Cowboys with Pick 82 or 123.
In case you're wondering, here is how Dane Brugler has his Top 10 TEs ranked:
- Adam Troutman, Dayton
- Cole Kmet, Notre Dame
- Harrison Bryant, Florida Atlantic
- Albert Okwuegbunam, Missouri
- Devin Asiasi, UCLA
- Hunter Bryant, Washington
- Colby Parkinson, Stanford
- Brycen Perkins, Purdue
- Thaddeus Moss, LSU
- Jared Pinkney, Vanderbilt
You can agree or disagree with Brugler's TE rankings all you want, but the fact remains Devin Asiasi's still someone who appears to be on the Dallas Cowboys radar. So, what kind of player would the Cowboys be getting?
Devin Asiasi (6'3″, 257) was the starting “Y” tight end in Chip Kelly's up-tempo offense, lining up primarily inline. He was a one-year starter who finished second on the team in receiving (52 catches, 789 yards, 6 TDs). He's a natural hands catcher and moves well, presenting a good window for his QB. He's a solid blocker in the run game, but could stand to be more of an aggressor.
Overall, I think Asiasi would be more of a complete TE then what the Dallas Cowboys currently have on the roster. He may not challenge Blake Jarwin for the starting gig as a rookie, but he could in a year or two. I also think he's an upgrade over Blake Bell and could serve as the TE2 early on before working his way up the depth chart.
There's a lot to like about Devin Asiasi and the skill set he would bring with him to the Dallas Cowboys. It's easy to see why they could be infatuated with him. With Blake Jarwin as more of a receiving threat, Blake Bell as more of a blocker, Asiasi looks to be more of the complete package than either.
