Jay Toia wasn’t drafted to rush the passer. He was drafted to plug gaps and stop the bleeding.
At 6-2 and 342 pounds, Toia on paper brings a brand of trench toughness the Dallas Cowboys have lacked for years. Mazi Smith was supposed to be that guy — a rare shift toward power on the inside — but then-coordinator Dan Quinn’s system limited his early development.
Now Toia enters the picture with less hype, more mass, and no ambiguity about his role.
ESPN analyst Field Yates called him one of the best run defenders in the entire draft class. That’s high praise for a 7th-rounder.
If he is that good, he can fix Dallas’ traditional defensive problem … stopping the run.
But if he’s that good — why was he still available that late?
Here’s the answer: his arms are short. Measured at 32.5 inches, he’s about three-quarters of an inch below the NFL average for defensive tackles. That kind of measurement is enough to spook decision-makers on Days 1 and 2 — even if the tape tells a different story.
And the tape does. UCLA finished with the second-best opponent yards-per-carry average in college football in 2023 at just 2.7, then followed it up in 2024 with the sixth-best mark at 3.3. Teams didn’t have success running on UCLA — especially not up the middle. And Jay Toia is a massive reason why. He controls gaps. Eats space. Doesn’t get bullied backwards. He may not win on third-and-long, but he’ll win on third-and-one.
And for Dallas, that matters.
“Stop the run,” said Toia, athletic enough to also possess a rugby background. “I feel like that’s one of the biggest reasons I was drafted and that’s exactly what I’m going to do is stop the run. That’s my biggest strength.”
Some believe his presence could push Mazi Smith out of the rotation. And while it’d be nice to believe that or even have the depth for that reality to be considered…. it’s simply not the case. The lack of depth and the capital invested on Mazi means his job is safe. But his role as the “starter” could certainly be poached.
We bet Toia will force his way onto the field one way or another though — because players as big, strong, and difficult to move as he is always find snaps.
Related: Cowboys Tyler Booker Reveals 1 Massive Regret at NFL Draft
Related: Cowboys Late, Great Running Back Legend Compared To Rookie
Jay Toia wasn’t drafted to rush the passer. He was drafted to plug gaps and stop the bleeding.
At 6-2 and 342 pounds, Toia on paper brings a brand of trench toughness the Dallas Cowboys have lacked for years. Mazi Smith was supposed to be that guy — a rare shift toward power on the inside — but then-coordinator Dan Quinn’s system limited his early development.
Now Toia enters the picture with less hype, more mass, and no ambiguity about his role.
ESPN analyst Field Yates called him one of the best run defenders in the entire draft class. That’s high praise for a 7th-rounder.
If he is that good, he can fix Dallas’ traditional defensive problem … stopping the run.
But if he’s that good — why was he still available that late?
Here’s the answer: his arms are short. Measured at 32.5 inches, he’s about three-quarters of an inch below the NFL average for defensive tackles. That kind of measurement is enough to spook decision-makers on Days 1 and 2 — even if the tape tells a different story.
And the tape does. UCLA finished with the second-best opponent yards-per-carry average in college football in 2023 at just 2.7, then followed it up in 2024 with the sixth-best mark at 3.3. Teams didn’t have success running on UCLA — especially not up the middle. And Jay Toia is a massive reason why. He controls gaps. Eats space. Doesn’t get bullied backwards. He may not win on third-and-long, but he’ll win on third-and-one.
And for Dallas, that matters.
“Stop the run,” said Toia, athletic enough to also possess a rugby background. “I feel like that’s one of the biggest reasons I was drafted and that’s exactly what I’m going to do is stop the run. That’s my biggest strength.”
Some believe his presence could push Mazi Smith out of the rotation. And while it’d be nice to believe that or even have the depth for that reality to be considered…. it’s simply not the case. The lack of depth and the capital invested on Mazi means his job is safe. But his role as the “starter” could certainly be poached.
We bet Toia will force his way onto the field one way or another though — because players as big, strong, and difficult to move as he is always find snaps.
Related: Cowboys Tyler Booker Reveals 1 Massive Regret at NFL Draft
Related: Cowboys Late, Great Running Back Legend Compared To Rookie
