Last chance to draft a safety; will the Cowboys take a chance on Jalen Thompson?

The Dallas Cowboys didn’t sign Earl Thomas in free agency. And to the surprise of many, they didn’t select one of the top safeties in last April’s draft. So needless to say, the team is heading into camp with the same starting duo they had last year - Jeff Heath and Xavier Woods. While that is likely to be the case, the team has one final shot to add a potential starting safety to the team.

At some point this month, the NFL will have it’s supplemental draft. This is an opportunity for players who lost their eligibility for the upcoming college season to still be drafted in the NFL, despite the fact that the actual draft has already taken place. Wide receiver Josh Gordon is the most notable player in recent years to be selected as the Cleveland Browns put a second-round bid for him back in 2012 after he was dismissed from the regular draft for failing a marijuana test. The last player the Cowboys selected in the supplemental draft was Josh Brent back in 2010, who was lost his eligibility due to academic reasons. The Cowboys put in a seventh-round bid to get him.

There is no guarantee a player will even be chosen as some years nobody is selected, but it’s possible a player or two make the cut. Last year, a couple of division rivals - New York Giants and Washington Redskins - were the only two teams that selected a player in the supplemental draft. The Giants snagged Western Michigan cornerback Sam Beal and the Redskins landed Virginia Tech defensive back Adonis Alexander. New York had to surrender a third-round pick in this year’s draft while it only cost the Redskins a sixth-rounder.

The Supplemental Draft is like a blind auction. Teams will make bids on players and based on how teams finished last season and what round they are willing to risk, a player will go to the winning bid. Four players have entered the supplemental draft process:

Marcus Simms, WR, West Virginia

Shyheim Cullen, LB, Syracuse

Devonaire Clarington, TE, Northland Community College

Jalen Thompson, S, Washington State

One player of interest to the Cowboys could be Washington State safety Jalen Thompson.

The Cougars safety had six picks over his last two seasons, finishing his college career with 190 tackles, 17 pass breakups, and two forced fumbles. He was touted as one of the top safeties in the nation for the upcoming year had he been able to return for his senior season (highlights). But he was deemed ineligible for the NFL Draft after violating NCAA rules due to the purchase of over-the-counter supplements at a nutrition store. While it’s a setback for him, this could be a great opportunity for a team looking for a good safety.