One of the few knocks on the Dallas Cowboys' 2012 draft class was the failure to beef up the offensive line. Jason Garrett and the Cowboys brass, to their credit, at least attempted to compensate for this after the draft, by signing undrafted free agent Jeff Adams.
Adams is an offensive tackle -- so he's not exactly the interior lineman that Dallas fans were clamoring for. Still, he's an intriguing prospect. Adams attended Columbia University, and in 2010 was named the team's most valuable lineman. Adams is a three-time first team All-Ivy League selection, and was named a third-team All-American in 2011 by the Associated Press.
At 6'6", 306, Adams is certainly a large presence. Over the weekend at Dallas' rookie minicamp, Adams had a chance to square off against third-round draft choice Tyrone Crawford. Per Todd Archer:
Rookie free-agent tackle Jeff Adams struggled with Tyrone Crawford's power on a pass rush, allowing the third-round pick to push him back in the pocket. But on the next play, Adams got his hands on Crawford first and was able to hold his ground.
Small sample size, but it's good to see that Adams was able to make adjustments and stop Dallas' third-round draft choice.
Adams certainly seems like an intriguing young player -- he's smart (Ivy League and all), and he had a successful collegiate career as one of the top offensive linemen in the Ivy League for three years running. We'll see how Adams progresses over the summer, but he's certainly an undrafted free agent to keep an eye on.