Cowboys Eye Ballhawk Safety Will Jones at Dallas Day Visit

The Dallas Cowboys are meeting with a local prospect who has a nose for the football.

UCF Knights quarterback John Rhys Plume scrambles with the ball as South Florida Bulls safety Will Jones II defends. | Douglas DeFelice-Imagn Images

Fixing the secondary has been a focal point for the Dallas Cowboys this offseason.

With new defensive coordinator Christian Parker in place, the Cowboys have signed safeties Jalen Thompson and P.J. Locke, as well as former Los Angeles Rams cornerbacks Cobie Durant and Derion Kendrick. Those additions should help, but the Cowboys must continue to find talent to round out the depth chart, especially after the number of injuries they dealt with in 2025.

That's why they've been meeting with multiple defensive backs leading up to the draft, including USC safety Kamari Ramsey. Another safety has been added to the mix as well, with Aaron Wilson reporting that the Cowboys will host North Texas safety Will Jones II as a 'Dallas Day' visit.

North Texas @MeanGreenFB defensive back Will Jones to participate in #Cowboys local prospect day:
4.40-40
38 1/2 vertical
20 bench reps
Three interceptions, four forced fumbles last season #NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/G3D65OEM8l

— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) March 29, 2026

Jones was fantastic in 2025 for the Mean Green, recording 82 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, three interceptions, and four forced fumbles. Listed at 5-foot-10 and 186 pounds, Jones is an undersized player whose most likely path to the NFL will be as an undrafted free agent.

The Cowboys have had success when it comes to undrafted safeties, with Markquese Bell and Juanyeh Thomas each standing out as recent success stories. Neither turned into full-time starters, but each played significant snaps over the past several seasons, and Bell is set to enter his fifth season with the franchise.

Bell has 11 starts in 48 games during his career. He's recorded 142 tackles, four tackles for loss, seven pass breakups, and one interception.

Thomas played for four seasons in Dallas, appearing in 36 games with four starts. He had 62 tackles and five pass breakups before signing a one-year deal with the Indianapolis Colts this offseason.

Will Jones II had an interesting NCAA journey

South Florida Bulls tight end Wyatt Sullivan is tackled by North Texas Mean Green safety Will Jones II. | Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images

Transfers have become far more common in today's NCAA, but Jones still traveled more than most collegiate players.

He began his career in 2019 with Kansas State, where he played for two seasons. He transferred to USF following the 2020 season, but missed the entire 2021 campaign due to an injury. He returned to health in 2022, playing the next two years with the Bulls.

Jones then spent 2024 with Old Dominion before finally playing for North Texas in 2025. That gave Jones an unusual seven years in the NCAA, making him one of the older prospects in this class.

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