'25 Film Study - Oregon's Ajani Cornelius
Cowboys 6th Rd Pick adds another developmental tackle who has a real opportunity.
Our continuing coverage of the deeper draft picks taken in the 2025 draft by the Cowboys is wrapping up here in the month of June. Each week we will get one of the last four. Last week it was 5th round LB Shemar James. This week, we are grabbing 6th rounder Ajani Cornelius, the tackle from Oregon. Next week we will do RB Phil Mafah from Clemosn and then the final week of this month it will be DT Tommy Akingbesote from Maryland.
Let’s look at pick No. 204:
No. 65 - Ajani Cornelius - Age 23 - 6’5 - 310 - Rhode Island/Oregon
He has a very interesting backstory which features in upbringing in Harlem and a no-star recruiting rating out of his high school. But, he obviously has worked hard and figured some things out to arrive here in Dallas at Age 23 and in the mix to move up the depth chart with his abilities.
Originally committed to Howard before a coaching change there caused him to reconsider. He then changed to Rhode Island as a no-star recruit who generated interest late in the process from FCS schools.
1st Team All CAA in 2022. He red-shirted in 2020, but then started for Rhode Island in 2021 and 2022 at a level where he generated considerable portal interest from the biggest schools and eventually settled on Oregon for 2023.
All Pac 12 (2023) and All Big Ten (2024) as well as honorable mention All-American in 2024 for two seasons of stellar play under Dan Lanning with the Ducks.
The first things that do stick out would be that while he is a very large human in society, amongst tackles at the NFL level, his height and weight are both under the midway line for average. He is an undersized tackle in the NFL, but not by too much.
Stats at Oregon:
2023 - 777 snaps, 11 QB Pressures, 0 sacks, 9 penalties - 76.2 PFF
2024 - 819 snaps, 18 QB Pressures, 2 sacks, 4 penalties - 75.9 PFF
He also has over 1,400 snaps at Rhode Island, so over 3,000 college snaps overall all as a right tackle.