Dallas Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones has been in a public standoff with star defensive linemen Micah Parsons all offseason. The franchise does not want to give him the money that he is asking for, considering how much they are already paying star quarterback Dak Prescott and wide receiver CeeDee Lamb.
That means a trade could be in play for Parsons ahead of the NFL Draft, and the Cowboys would have to seek more help on the defensive line with the No. 12 pick. On Monday, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that Dallas was hosting a potential replacement, Ole Miss star defensive tackle Walter Nolen, on a private pre-draft visit.
Nolen starred for the Rebels last season after spending his first two years at Texas A&M. During his lone campaign at Ole Miss, he contributed 6.5 sacks, 14 tackles for loss and 48 total tackles, as well as three batted passes and two fumble recoveries.
While Nolen did not test particularly well at the NFL combine, his production with two different SEC programs should override his performance on one weekend. He is projected to be picked somewhere outside of the top-10, but still in the first round.
That could mean that the First-Team All-American lands with the Cowboys at No. 12, adding pass rush juice to a group that may not have Micah Parsons. Nolen also met with the Bengals, Panthers, Cardinals and 49ers, but the Cowboys would be the most exciting place for the former Rebel to land.