In his lone season with the Cajuns, Dugger logged 125 tackles in 13 games, leading the Sun Belt with 64 solo stops. He also added four sacks, an interception and three passes defended, underscoring the versatility and ball disruption ability that scouts value in a developing linebacker.
Dugger’s ascent is fueled by his size, athleticism and motor, traits that shone at the East-West Shrine Game and have kept him on teams’ Day 3 radars. While still raw, he has drawn interest from multiple NFL clubs, including the Cowboys, Packers and several others, with a steady stream of meetings and Zoom sessions ahead of the draft.
The Cowboys face a clear need at linebacker after trying to stabilize the position in recent seasons without lasting success. With Vander Esch out due to career-ending concerns and recent additions not providing a long-term fix, Dallas could add a linebacker in the middle to late rounds, potentially inventorying Dugger as a developmental contributor or in a similar scope to other Day 3 options.
Dugger carries strong self-belief about his upside. He told reporters he views himself as having the most upside of any player in the draft, insisting he’s only going to get better as he continues to develop from a WR-to-LB transition and refine his game.
projections for Dugger vary, with some mock drafts placing him in the seventh round or as an undrafted free agent. Regardless of where he lands, Dugger’s confidence and his documented production at Louisiana position him as a viable late-round or UDFA target for teams seeking a high-mup potential linebacker with starter-grade traits.
