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Nose to Nose
Nick Eatman
DallasCowboys.com Staff Writer
IRVING, Texas - Two weeks ago, when the Cowboys were up in Indianapolis evaluating players at the annual Scouting Combine, much was made of the fact that they met with Auburn quarterback Cam Newton, the Heisman Trophy winner who guided the Tigers to a national championship.
And once again, there was a national headline when they visited the Auburn campus this week for the school's Pro Day, which allows the top athletes to work out, participate in conditioning tests, and even interview with coaches and scouts from NFL teams.
But the Cowboys weren't just there to see Newton. In fact, Auburn defensive tackle Nick Fairley is probably a better prospect for the Cowboys, who could always use more help on the defensive line.
While Fairley has been projected anywhere from the No. 1 overall pick to possibly sliding down to the range of 10th, he will be a dynamic fit for any team, even the Cowboys.
If that scenario were to happen, that would give the Cowboys two defensive linemen from Auburn, the other being three-time Pro Bowler Jay Ratliff, who is no stranger to Fairley.
Before the start of last season, Fairley said Ratliff not only came back to Auburn for a visit, but had some on-field teaching with the soon-to-be draft pick.
"He's not just a great guy, he's really a great player. He came back to Auburn last year for a little bit and he helped me a lot," Fairley said. "He was able to work with me on a lot of things - my hands, my feet. I think it really helped me last year."
Something must have helped Fairley, who went from having one sack and 28 tackles in 2009, to 12 sacks and 56 tackles last year while anchoring Auburn's stingy defense.
Along the way, Fairley has also earned a reputation for bending a few rules on the field. Before the national championship game, some Oregon players went so far as to call Fairley a "dirty player."
While Ratliff doesn't have that reputation, he does have a no-nonsense attitude and plays with a mean streak, something that has helped him dominate in the middle despite being somewhat small (6-4, 303) to play nose tackle in a 3-4 scheme.
To get by, Ratliff has relied on his technique - something Fairley said was stressed often by Ratliff.
"Jay is the kind of guy who wants you to get better," Fairley said. "He worked with me on some moves and my technique. He's not really a huge tackle, but he plays that way. He has great technique to be able to play inside."
Wherever Fairley ends up in the April draft, he said he will continue to stay in touch with Ratliff.
"I consider him to be a good friend. The Auburn guys like to stick together," Fairley said. "A lot of guys come back every now and then. I've met him a few times. He's a good Auburn guy, for sure, and a friend."
And if the Cowboys are lucky, maybe a future teammate as well.
Nick Eatman
DallasCowboys.com Staff Writer
IRVING, Texas - Two weeks ago, when the Cowboys were up in Indianapolis evaluating players at the annual Scouting Combine, much was made of the fact that they met with Auburn quarterback Cam Newton, the Heisman Trophy winner who guided the Tigers to a national championship.
And once again, there was a national headline when they visited the Auburn campus this week for the school's Pro Day, which allows the top athletes to work out, participate in conditioning tests, and even interview with coaches and scouts from NFL teams.
But the Cowboys weren't just there to see Newton. In fact, Auburn defensive tackle Nick Fairley is probably a better prospect for the Cowboys, who could always use more help on the defensive line.
While Fairley has been projected anywhere from the No. 1 overall pick to possibly sliding down to the range of 10th, he will be a dynamic fit for any team, even the Cowboys.
If that scenario were to happen, that would give the Cowboys two defensive linemen from Auburn, the other being three-time Pro Bowler Jay Ratliff, who is no stranger to Fairley.
Before the start of last season, Fairley said Ratliff not only came back to Auburn for a visit, but had some on-field teaching with the soon-to-be draft pick.
"He's not just a great guy, he's really a great player. He came back to Auburn last year for a little bit and he helped me a lot," Fairley said. "He was able to work with me on a lot of things - my hands, my feet. I think it really helped me last year."
Something must have helped Fairley, who went from having one sack and 28 tackles in 2009, to 12 sacks and 56 tackles last year while anchoring Auburn's stingy defense.
Along the way, Fairley has also earned a reputation for bending a few rules on the field. Before the national championship game, some Oregon players went so far as to call Fairley a "dirty player."
While Ratliff doesn't have that reputation, he does have a no-nonsense attitude and plays with a mean streak, something that has helped him dominate in the middle despite being somewhat small (6-4, 303) to play nose tackle in a 3-4 scheme.
To get by, Ratliff has relied on his technique - something Fairley said was stressed often by Ratliff.
"Jay is the kind of guy who wants you to get better," Fairley said. "He worked with me on some moves and my technique. He's not really a huge tackle, but he plays that way. He has great technique to be able to play inside."
Wherever Fairley ends up in the April draft, he said he will continue to stay in touch with Ratliff.
"I consider him to be a good friend. The Auburn guys like to stick together," Fairley said. "A lot of guys come back every now and then. I've met him a few times. He's a good Auburn guy, for sure, and a friend."
And if the Cowboys are lucky, maybe a future teammate as well.
