What draft experts are saying about new Cowboys DT Jay Toia

The Dallas Cowboys had three selections in the seventh round of the 2025 NFL Draft. With the first pick, the franchise brought in a massive addition to the defensive line with former UCLA defensive tackle Jay Toia.

One look at Toia will tell you exactly the job he is meant to do on the field. The former Bruins star is meant to stuff any run that may come his way.

However, will his talent translate at the next level? Here's what draft experts are saying about Toia's abilities.

NFLDraftBuzz.com

"The film shows a player with clear strengths and limitations that will shape his NFL trajectory. Toia brings immediate value as a run defender, using his natural leverage and impressive lower body strength to absorb double teams and occasionally reset the line of scrimmage. However, his limited lateral range and inconsistent block recognition will restrict his deployment primarily to early downs where his strengths can be maximized and weaknesses minimized."

UCLA Bruins defensive lineman Jay Toia and linebacker Oluwafemi Oladejo celebrate after a sack against the Nebraska Cornhuskers during the first quarter at Memorial Stadium. | Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

The 33rd Team

"He’s a full slab of work for any solo block on the interior, although he lacks the punch reach and extension ability to execute your typical lock/peek/shed techniques. Instead, he feels blocks and rips with his hands to shade against pressure and uncover. There’s enough side-to-side mobility playing in the heart of the front to indicate he can work outside the hashes when runs hit the perimeter."

NFL.com

"Three-year starter with the build and mentality to play nose tackle in odd or even fronts. Toia carries a girthy base and is heavy into first contact. He has the power to give good resistance against all forms of blocks that come his way but a lack of length makes him more of a space eater than a block beater. He pummels single-block protection with violent club moves for sporadic pressures but is unlikely to get home. He’ll need to improve his block recognition and fine-tune his take-on to be his best version of a two-down run defender."

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