We continue scouting the 2026 NFL Draft class for the Dallas Cowboys by looking at the undrafted free agent class. Today we are looking at defensive tackle Tommy Dunn Jr. from Kansas.
Tommy Dunn Jr
DT
Kansas Jayhawks
Senior
3-star rating
6’3”
305 lbs
History
Tommy Dunn Jr.’s recruitment had an interesting profile because he was not just a pure defensive tackle at the time. He came through as a three-star defensive lineman and tight end, and 247Sports rated him the No. 97 strong-side defensive end in the nation when he committed
to Kansas
His true first year in college came in 2021 and Dunn was on the Kansas roster as a defensive lineman. He did not record any game statistics that season, effectively making it a developmental and redshirt year before he became part of the Jayhawks’ defensive line rotation.
In his second college year, Dunn became an active contributor, appearing in all 13 games and totaling nine tackles, two tackles for loss and a half sack. His first college opener contribution came against Tennessee Tech, when he made two solo tackles, including one for loss.
In 2023, Dunn’s role grew again. He played in 12 games and recorded 13 total tackles, nine solo tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss. His standout moments included a tackle for loss against Missouri State, his first career forced fumble at Nevada, two solo tackles against BYU, two solo tackles in Kansas’ upset win over Oklahoma, three tackles against Texas Tech and two solo tackles against Kansas State.
In his fourth year, Dunn moved from rotational player to a starter at defensive tackle. He played in 11 games with seven starts and finished with 16 tackles, four tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks and a forced fumble. His best early game was against UNLV, when he recorded six total tackles, half a sack and another tackle for loss.
In 2025, he played all 12 games with eight starts. He finished that season with 26 tackles, 12 solo stops, three tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks and one blocked kick. His 2025 highlights included tying a career high with six tackles at Missouri, adding one sack at UCF, and making a tackle for loss against Kansas State.
2025 Statistics
406 Defensive Snaps
28 Tackles
3 TFL
2.5 Sacks
2 Missed Tackles
4 Penalties
Snap by Position
A-Gap- 42%
B-Gap- 52%
OLB- 6%
NFL Combine/Pro Day
Awards
N/A
Scorecard
Overall– 45.2
Speed- 62
Acceleration- 70
Agility- 69
Strength- 90
Tackling- 66
Run Defense- 69
Pass Rush- 44
Discipline- 90
THE GOOD
- NFL-ready interior frame
- Good functional strength
- He got better each season instead of plateauing, showing his development is trending upward
- Run-defense improvement as a starter
- Adequate short-area athleticism for size
- He is not a high-end pass rusher, but he can create occasional pocket push
- Improved tackling reliability
- Durability and availability
THE BAD
- Limited pass-rush ceiling
- Average explosiveness
- Length is an issue (31 3/4-inch arms)
- Needs better hand counters, quicker transitions and more consistent leverage to win against NFL interior linemen
- Late breakout profile
- Conditioning is a question (body-fat percentage reported at 31%), this raises concerns on stamina maintenance
- Needs to prove he can anchor versus NFL double teams
THE FIT/PROJECTION
Dunn’s best NFL fit is as a rotational 1-technique defensive tackle, basically a depth nose tackle who can play shaded over the center, handle early-down run fits, occupy blocks and give a defense some interior toughness.
For Dallas, the fit is cleaner than it would be for some teams because the Cowboys appear to be getting bigger inside. His Cowboys projection is practice squad first, roster bubble second. With a defensive tackle room including Kenny Clark and Quinnen Williams as starters, Otito Ogbonnia, LT Overton and Jonathan Bullard as likely reserves, and Dunn grouped in the roster-bubble zone with Adeyayo Odeleye, Jay Toia and Kevin Gilliam. That is a tough path to the initial 53 unless Dallas keeps an extra defensive tackle or Dunn clearly beats the other bubble linemen in camp and preseason.
SUMMARY
Tommy Dunn Jr. is a clear developmental nose-tackle candidate rather than a high-end pass-rush prospect. He is a thick-built tackle who shows good functional strength and adequate movement skills for an interior lineman, but not displaying rare explosiveness or length.
He went from role player to starter and was credited with four sacks and 21 pressures between 2023 and 2024, then three sacks and 18 pressures in his final season. He took a major step forward as a run stopper, doubled his tackles and run stops, and cut down his missed-tackle rate. These are all incremental stats that give an optimistic overview of him as a prospect.
The limitations are why he was an undrafted free-agent type rather than a drafted prospect. He was not a consistently dominant college producer, his pass-rush profile is more effort and strength than explosive interior disruption, and his length is ordinary for an NFL defensive tackle. All this lines up with a practice squad developmental projection rather than an immediate 53-man expectation.
Overall, Dunn profiles as a high-effort, ascending, run-first interior defender with enough strength and late development to justify a camp look. His path to sticking in the NFL is not as a flashy pass rusher, it is by proving he can be reliable against the run, handle nose-tackle snaps, reduce missed tackles, and offer enough pocket push to be useful as a reserve defensive tackle.
PRO COMPARISON
Leki Fotu
BTB OVERALL RANKING
N/A
CONSENSUS OVERALL RANKING
447th
