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Jerry Jones, Owner, President & GM, Dallas Cowboys

If there is one thing Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones truly loves, it’s a player who could be marked down as an NFL steal. Could be an undrafted free agent. Could be a trade acquisition who overperforms. Could be a late-round draft pick that earns a starting spot. And he may have a chance to reel in a player like that in next week’s NFL draft: Jaden Dugger, the linebacker who began his career at FCS school Georgetown, converted from wide receiver and has played his final two seasons at Louisiana.

In 13 games as the linebacker for the Cajuns last season, Dugger made 125 tackles, leading the Sun Belt with 64 solo tackles. He had four sacks (including one against Missouri), an interception and three passes defended. And Dugger is just getting started in his linebacker journey–he had been a receiver until college.

Dugger is still a raw prospect, but he his combination of size (6-foot-5, 242 pounds) and athleticism, as well as the high motor he showed in the East-West Shrine Game have put him firmly on teams’ Day 3 radars. That includes the Cowboys.

Jaden Dugger Visited the Cowboys

Speaking to SI.com, Dugger revealed that the Cowboys were one of his in-person Top 30 visits. As SI’s Justin Melo wrote on Twitter/X: “@RaginCajunsFB LB Jaden Dugger is my favorite sleeper in the NFL Draft. He’s made 4+ Top 30 visits  @ShrineBowl standout had 125 tackles this past year despite previously playing WR.”

Plenty of teams have spoken with Dugger ahead of the NFL draft, as he pointed out in his conversation with Melo: “I was just in Green Bay with the Packers. I had meetings with the Dallas Cowboys, Indianapolis Colts, Kansas City Chiefs, and the New York Jets as well. I’ve had a ton of Zoom meetings as well with the Atlanta Falcons, Houston Texans, Baltimore Ravens, New York Giants, and others.

Linebacker a Big Cowboys Draft Need

Of course, it is no secret that the Cowboys badly need linebackers, and failed in multiple attempts this offseason to fill the hole that has haunted them going back to Leighton Vander Esch’s career-ending neck injury. The Cowboys plugged in Eric Kendricks in 2024, and Kenneth Murray in 2025, and both were disasters.

The Cowboys are all but guaranteed to draft at least one linebacker this season, perhaps as high as Sonny Styles of Ohio State, if Dallas moves up in the draft. But Dugger could be on the docket, too, with a later pick.

Jaden Dugger Has Plenty of Confidence

At The Athletic, Dane Brugler rates Dugger as a seventh-rounder, going to the Packers at No. 236 (with the Cowboys bypassing him at No. 218).  Pro Football Focus rates him No. 340 in this year’s incoming class, which would leave him undrafted–maybe not a bad position for him to be in, because he could pick his preferred destination.

When he gets there–whether it’s Dallas or somewhere else–Dugger will bring the confidence.

As he told SI: “I think I have the most upside of any player in this draft. This is the worst I’m ever going to be and I’m still making plays compared to guys who are supposed to be the top players in this class. I’m only going to get better.”