Cowboys Ex Jabril Cox 'A Physical Specimen', Says Commanders' Ron Rivera
Long before Jabril Cox was in the NFL and playing for a division rival, he was on Washington Commanders head coach Ron Rivera's radar.
Now, Rivera will have a chance to tap into the potential he saw in the third-year linebacker when he was at LSU.
"We remembered the young man coming out of LSU," Rivera said. "He's a physical specimen, a young man that can run and can make an impact. It's one of those things where he'll have to learn, and he'll have to grow, but he's got the skillset that you're looking for as far as that position is concerned. He's a guy that we really did like coming out of that draft that year."
The Commanders claimed Cox on Tuesday after he was placed on waivers by the Dallas Cowboys.
Cox was taken by the Cowboys in the fourth round with the No. 115 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. In his two seasons with the Cowboys, Cox primarily played on special teams, totaling eight tackles in the 16 games that he played in.
In Cox's final season at LSU, he had 58 tackles, including 6.5 for a loss. He also had five passes defended and three interceptions, one of which he returned for a touchdown.
With Cox joining the team just over a week before the season starts, he'll have a short period to learn the defense. Once Cox is acclimated to the scheme and the coaching staff figures out how to best use him, Rivera believes he can boost an already strong Commanders defense.
"He's got the skillset and can be a high-impact guy because of his abilities and his athleticism," Rivera said. "The big part will be grasping what we do and us finding the best way to use him and play him."
