3. Leki Fotu, NT, Utah
Jumping right back into the second day of the draft, we have a position that has been criminally neglected by the Cowboys in recent years. For whatever reason, former defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli held a belief that nose tackles could be found just about anywhere. He had several pet cats that were late-round picks and undrafted free agents.
He did get the most out of Nick Hayden and Antwaun Woods, which was very impressive. But that doesn’t mean they were exactly world-beaters at the position. And if Marinelli could get them playing so well, imagine what he could have done with a player who came into the NFL with a little higher pedigree.
With the new staff in town, that philosophy is likely going to change. New defensive coordinator Mike Nolan has said he prefers bigger defensive linemen — and after Dallas struggled to stop the run in key situations last season, it’s clear they could use a nose tackle who has the ability to stuff the run and eat up blockers.
Enter Leki Fotu, the 6-foot-5, 337-pound mammoth from Utah. Despite his size, Fotu has some impressive short-area quickness and can fly off the snap. He’s not a burner, of course, but he doesn’t need to be. Instead, he’s a player who can give guards and centers a fit when trying to block. And when he shoves them aside with his impressive strength, he has just enough quickness to close in on the running back