The Cowboys have a long list of needs heading into this weekend’s NFL draft, and while ample focus will be on what they do with the No. 24 overall pick in Round 1 on Thursday, much of the real work will take place thereafter. After the initial list of obvious needs for help on the defensive and offensive line, the secondary list surely includes a running back as well as a No. 3 receiver, with Michael Gallup having been released.
The Cowboys have options, but none are proven and most are either longshots (comeback attempt player Martavis Bryant for example) or players who have not shown much yet (2022 third-rounder Jalen Tolbert). Dallas would do well to throw another name into the mix, and for Cowboys.com analyst Patrik Walker, who covers the team as closely as anyone, a name to watch is a familiar one: Brenden Rice from USC.
While Brenden Rice might not be a household name, there is no doubting that his father is: NFL legend Jerry Rice, arguably the greatest receiver of all time. And while the Cowboys famously fumbled the chance to add Jerry Rice four decades ago, Walker has them picking his son in 2024.
Brenden Rice Ranked No. 9 in Touchdowns in 2023
Brenden Rice does not have the talent level that Jerry Rice had, of course, but he is looking to take an opposite course into the NFL that his father took. Where Jerry Rice was an overlooked prospect who played for Mississippi Valley State in college, but was impressive enough to warrant a first-round spot in 1985, Brenden Rice spent two years at Colorado before transferring to USC—two blue-blood football powerhouses—for his final two seasons.
Rice caught 45 passes for 791 yards last season, scoring 12 receiving touchdowns, which ranked tied for No. 9 in all of college football. He is not the nuanced, precision player that his father was as a receiver, but rather is a much more physical player at 6-foot-2, 208 pounds.
He was solid at the NFL combine, even if he did not drastically improve his stock. Rice ran a 4.50 40-yard dash, which was 24th out of 30 wide receivers.
NFL.com’s scouting report on Rice sees him as a potential contributor right away: “He lacks sudden feet, so beating press cleanly and separating on short routes could be challenging as a pro. Rice possesses good build-up speed to create deep-ball opportunities once his ball skills are added to the equation. Rice catches with quick, strong hands and good extension to help with frequent contested catches. There are some limitations at play, but he has enough checkmarks to project as an early backup with some upward mobility.”
Oh, and there was one pertinent note, too. Among Rice’s strengths: “Touchdown-maker, bringing in a score every 5.2 catches during career.”
Cowboys Could Use a ‘Prototypical X Receiver’
Walker anticipates the Cowboys nabbing Rice relatively high, in the fourth round on Saturday. He is generally mocked into the fifth or sixth round, but he could be a fit for what Dallas needs.
“Rice is a prototypical outside X receiver, as Gallup was, who can use his length, size and sticky grasp to high point catches in traffic with defenders glued to his hip. …
Jerry Rice Jr. is always running to find open spaces on the field, even when the quarterback is under pressure. He is a great target for quarterbacks because he never gives up on a play and always finds a way to get open. If Rice Jr. can improve his footwork to match his father's skill, he could become a valuable asset for Dallas.
This is a significant challenge to meet, but Rice has always faced high expectations throughout his career, so he's used to it.
