Cowboys Connection: 3rd-Round WR Jalen Tolbert Already Hooking Up with Dak Prescott

Dallas selects the South Alabama target to mitigate the losses of Amari Cooper and Cedrick Wilson

FRISCO - Usually, it's the congratulatory call from Jerry Jones that gets newly drafted Dallas Cowboys giddy.

But for Jalen Tolbert, it was a random, pre-draft solicitation from none other than Dak Prescott.

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"I got a phone call from Dak (Prescott) a couple of days ago and we talked on the phone for about 20 minutes," Tolbert said in a radio interview after being drafted by Dallas in the third round of the NFL Draft Friday night. "It was a surreal moment. I thought it was a random call … and he was like, 'Hey, Jalen, this is Dak Prescott.' I was like, 'What?!' We had a pretty good conversation, and I enjoyed it. I'm looking forward to getting to work with him."

Tyler Smith

2022 NFL Draft

Jalen Tolbert

The Cowboys envision more connections on the field between Prescott and their new 6-3, 190-pound target from South Alabama. The reigning Sun Belt Conference player of the year, Tolbert was wildly productive during his college career with 82 catches for 1,474 yards and eight touchdowns in 2021 alone.

Tolbert has 4.48 speed in the 40-yard dash, can play all three receiver positions and averaged 18 yards per catch, as the main reasons the Cowboys chose him with the draft's 88th overall pick.

Through two nights and three rounds, the Cowboys have systematically checked their draft boxes. They needed offensive line help in the wake of losing La'el Collins and Connor Williams, and drafted Tulsa's Tyler Smith in the first round. Needing an edge pass rusher to replace Randy Gregory, they took Ole Miss speedster Sam Williams in the second round.

Tolbert at the combine

Jalen Tolbert at South Alabama

Sam Williams

Then came the need for a receiver, to make up for the losses of Cedrick Wilson and Amari Cooper this offseason and the uncertainty of Michael Gallup's recovery from a torn ACL. That's where Tolbert comes in, as a rangy target for Prescott adept at both going over the middle and stretching defenses downfield with his speed.

"So far the draft is falling in a good place for us," said vice president Stephen Jones. "I think we've improved our football team. We still have a lot of work to do (in Day 3)."

In Saturday's rounds 4-7, the Cowboys will enter with picks Nos. 129, 155, 167, 176, 178 and 193.