Dallas Cowboys host LB Durrell Johnson, CB Emmanuel Forbes for top-30 visits

The Dallas Cowboys continue their pre-draft process this week with top-30 visits from some of their most intriguing 2023 NFL draft options.

On Tuesday, the Cowboys hosted Mississippi State cornerback Emmanuel Forbes, per NFL reporter Aaron Wilson. On Wednesday, they are bringing in the 2022 season leader in tackles for loss, Liberty linebacker Durrell Johnson, according to Tom Pelissero.

Forbes is the No. 4 best-available cornerback in this year’s draft, according to ESPN’s board. He had 14 interceptions over three seasons for the Bulldogs, including six in 2022. On top of 14 career interceptions, he’s also notched three touchdowns in two seasons (2022, 2020).

Forbes tied for fifth at the NFL draft combine in the 40-yard dash. He posted a time of 4.35 seconds, further boosting his stock for this month.

In Todd McShay’s recent two-round mock draft, Forbes comes off the board at No. 25 and goes to the Giants. The Cowboys are one pick behind the Giants at 26.

“Forbes is lean at 6-1 and 166 pounds, but he has great speed and fantastic instincts in coverage,” McShay writes. “The Giants blitzed more than any other team last season (42%) but didn’t have many ballhawks in the secondary to take advantage. Forbes would feast on mistakes forced by that pressure.”

Meanwhile, Johnson doesn’t even appear on ESPN’s draft board, despite his 27.5 tackles for loss and nine sacks in 2022.

Johnson played injured in 2021 after recording 8.5 sacks in his debut season for Liberty in 2020.

Other prospects the Cowboys have had coming into the Star include DT Jaquelin Roy, DE Tyler Lacy, WR Jalin Hyatt, WR Quentin Johnston, WR Zay Flowers, LB Trenton Simpson, WR Jonathan Mingo and WR Josh Downs.

More on the 2023 NFL Draft

The 2023 NFL Draft takes place from Thursday, April 27 through Saturday, April 29 in Kansas City, Missouri. The event location this year is the plaza just outside of Union Station.

Round 1 of the NFL Draft begins at 8 p.m. ET on Thursday, Apr. 27. Rounds 2-3 will begin at 7 p.m. ET on Friday, Apr. 28, and Rounds 4-7 will begin at 12 p.m. ET on Saturday, Apr. 29. The draft broadcast runs throughout the weekend on both ESPN and NFL Network.

Following two trades that cost them two fifth-round compensatory picks (No. 161, No. 169), these are the seven draft picks left on the Cowboys board for April.

• Round 1, No. 26
• Round 2, No. 58
• Round 3, No. 90
• Round 4, No. 128
• Round 5, No. 176*
• Round 6, No. 212*
• Round 7, No. 243

*denotes compensatory pick