2021 NFL Draft: John Fassel could be heavily involved in Cowboys “war room” on Day 3

Dallas Cowboys special teams coordinator John “Bones” Fassel did a bang up job in 2020. According to Rick Gosselin’s annual special teams rankings, Dallas went from being ranked 31st in 2019 to 11th in 2020. That’s a pretty big jump and could improve dramatically again this season.

Although it’s probably gone under the radar, John Fassel has already been hard at work strengthening his special teams units. The majority of Dallas’ offseason moves, both new additions and re-signings, look to have been done with special teams in mind.

Players like Tarell Basham, Jayron Kearse, and Jeremy Sprinkle all bring special teams value to the table. And Jake McQuaide - Fassel’s former long snapper with the Rams - will replace the Cowboys long-time, and fan-favorite, long snapper L.P. Ladouceur. And, that’s just the new additions.

To further strengthen special teams the Dallas Cowboys re-signed their ace C.J. Goodwin and also Noah Brown, who were both amongst the top five in special teams snaps last year. Even the re-signings of Cedrick Wilson and Malik Turner give off special teams vibes.

It’s pretty obvious when John Fassel speaks people are listening inside The Star. But, how much weight will his voice carry when the 2021 NFL Draft kicks off in just under a weeks time?

While it’s expected John Fassel will be in the Dallas Cowboys “war room” all three days of the NFL Draft, his influence on the decision-making process will peak on Day 3. That’s when a prospect’s special teams ability generally becomes more of a factor.

It’s doubtful “Bones” will be in the “war room” pounding the table for a particular prospect based purely on his special teams ability. He could be the tiebreaker though if there is a split room trying to decide between two similarly ranked players. Special teams value could be the deciding factor.

Keep a close eye on Mr. Bones in the Cowboys “war room” in the latter part of the draft. He could play a key role in the decision-making process on Day 3. Just some food for thought for all of you special teams fans out there.