Depth is the most important aspect of a football team. No matter how many good players you have, you need to have adequate bodies behind them in case of an unforeseen injury.
In the secondary, the Dallas Cowboys have six unrestricted free agents (three corners, three safeties) set to test the open market next week. In these times, depth is more essential than ever and the Cowboys could very well get that on day 3 of the NFL Draft with Louisiana Tech's L'Jarius Sneed.
Sneed appeared in all 14 games for Louisiana Tech as a freshman in 2016 as he racked up 17 tackles and an interception (ran back for a touchdown). As a sophomore, he was pretty solid with 28 tackles, five passes defended, an interception, and a sack. Sneed would take a huge leap forward as a junior, though, registering 59 tackles, three interceptions (scored second pick-six), eight passes defended, 1.5 sacks. As a senior, after switching from corner to safety, Sneed would receive Second-Team All-Conference USA honors for his performance. He finished his collegiate career with 73 tackles, three interceptions (scored third pick-six), and six passes defended.
Watch “L'Jarius Sneed || LA Tech Defensive Back || Career Highlights” on YouTube
Although Sneed did play safety as a senior and had arguably the best season of his college career, he's viewed as a defensive back on the pro level, meaning he can play in various different roles, which is very appealing. His athleticism is quite fascinating as well. His 4.37 in the 40-yard dash at the combine was second amongst defensive backs and fourth overall. Also, his 41-inch vertical ranked second and his 131-inch broad jump was ninth. His three interception returns for touchdowns shows he has a sense of turning turnovers into points. Simply put, he's a stud.
L'Jarius Sneed was flying: 4.38 on his first attempt… #NFLCombine
https://t.co/elZIHaPqR0— CJR Sports (@Sports_CJR) March 1, 2020
Scouting report according to NFL.com's Lance Zierlein
The Cowboys could very well double-dip in the secondary when the draft rolls around. They've had some decent success finding defensive backs late recently as special teams ace and backup Kavon Frazier (2016), promising young talent Donovan Wilson (2019), and fellow Louisiana Tech alum and current starting Free Safety Xavier Woods (2017) were all selected in the sixth round. Will Sneed continue this trend? We shall see.
