Cowboys countdown to kickoff: #98 Quinton Bohanna

The count is officially on as the Dallas Cowboys get set to face the New York Giants for Week 1. Everyday we give you a player profile for each player represented by his jersey number.

We’re continuing our countdown to the opening game of the Dallas Cowboys 2023 regular season. Each day we’ll present a new player whose jersey number represents the countdown to opening day. Today is 98.

NT Quinton Bohanna
Born: 16th March 1999 (24) – Memphis, Tennessee
College: Kentucky Wildcats
Draft: 2021, Round 6, Pick 192, Dallas Cowboys

2022 Stats:
Snaps: 264
Tackles: 19
Pressures: 3
Sacks: 0
TFL: 1
Defensive Stops: 9
Penalties: 1

College:
Quinton “Big Bo” Bohanna finally got his name called in the 2021 NFL Draft near the end of Day 3 by Dallas. He played all four years at Kentucky as an old-school space-eater with great two-gapping defending ability. He never offered much in terms of pass rush from his tape at Kentucky, but the way the Cowboys run defense had played the year before the Cowboys were all too happy to use one of their two sixth-round draft picks to get a big inside guy. He finished at the Wildcat’s with 58 total tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss, two sacks and one forced fumble.

Cowboys Review:
It’s no surprise that what Bohanna was scouted as doing well in college is the thing he’s done the most while playing at Dallas. He’s been a big-bodied defensive tackle in the middle of the line to fill gaps and help stop the run, and has looked okay doing his job. He really needed to have an increased snap count from his rookie year to have more confidence in his outlook this year, and although it was a slight increase, it just wasn’t enough. His focus now needs to be on becoming a more complete defensive tackle to increase his usage.

2023 Roster Projection:
The Cowboys just drafted a huge run-stopping defensive tackle in Mazi Smith, this tells you exactly how the coaching staff feel about solidifying the middle of the line and clamping down on run defense. This is a huge concern for Bohanna and how that will effect his snap total when he also has to compete with Johnathan Hankins and Neville Gallimore.

Bohanna is just extremely role-specific and that role is very limited; he now has a steep hill to climb to get a chance to play. He already has limited production and now has to find a way to prove he can offer more to remain roster relevant. If Hankins looks to be slowing and they want to have the younger player with Bohanna as their next 1-tech or nose tackle rotation player, there’s a chance he stays on the final 53.

Projected 2023 Stats:
Snaps: 210
Tackles: 10
Pressures: 3
Sacks: 0
TFL: 1
Defensive stops: 5

The big question:
With Mazi Smith and Johnathan Hankins in the fold, will Bohanna make the 53-man roster? Leave your answer in the comments section.

Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images