Under The Radar Dallas Cowboys

Author: Jack Casabonne

Editor: Brian Symons

With kickoff just around the corner, 53 man rosters have been finalized across the league. While it’s always painful to see players lose their jobs, it’s also a time where opportunities are created for under the radar players, such as undrafted free agents. In Dallas it was no different, where dreams came true for many. There will still be changes to the roster in the coming days, with CeeDee Lamb, Connor Williams, Carlos Watkins, Damontae Kazee, and Noah Brown all expected to be removed from the Covid-19 list. For now, however, three Cowboys players have realized their dream of making an NFL roster.

Israel Mukuamu:

With a roster as talented as the one in Dallas, most late round draft picks are seemingly competing for a practice squad spot, with little chance of cracking the 53 man roster in their first year. However, due to the Cowboys’ consistent valuation of their yearly draft classes, every draft pick made the roster. This wasn’t the only reason Israel Mukuamu ended up on the final roster, though. The former Gamecock had a phenomenal season, leaving the front office with no choice but to include him on the roster. In the preseason finale against Jacksonville, Mukuamu recorded an interception to go along with his six tackles. Standing at 6’4” and weighing 205 pounds, Mukuamu is a physical specimen. As just a 6th round draft choice, he has shown to be much more developed in his game than the team could have predicted, which bodes well for his chances of making a contribution this season, and certainly in the years to come.

Azur Kamara:

The Hard Knocks fan favorite seemed like a longshot to make the Cowboys roster at the beginning of training camp. However, Kamara showed significant improvement from his stint on the practice squad last season. As an undrafted free agent from Kansas, Kamara’s speed off the edge caught the eyes of Cowboys scouts. He has continued to put on size, with room to go. Currently listed at 6’4” and 235 pounds, this season will be all about continuing to make improvements in the weight room, as well as on the field. This is something that he will continue to focus upon, as the Ivory Coast native’s commitment to the game is apparent. With his family watching, Kamara made his presence known against the Cardinals in Dallas’ second preseason game. While his sack was called back due to a defensive penalty, his technicality at the point of attack was impressive, and definitely something that defensive coordinator Dan Quinn noticed.

Simi Fehoko:

One of the fanbase’s favorite draft selections, Simi Fehoko seemed like he was on the outside looking in due to the depth Dallas has at receiver. Headlined by arguably the best trio in football with Amari Cooper, CeeDee Lamb, and Michael Gallup, alongside veterans Cedrick Wilson and Noah Brown, the Cowboys are stacked at receiver. Yet, they couldn’t resist selecting the Stanford product in the 5th round. He boasts top end height, weight, and speed measurables, coming in at 6’4” 223 pounds, while running a blazing 40 timed in the 4.3’s. Fehoko is still extremely raw, so anticipate him making most of his contributions through special teams in 2021. With Michael Gallup’s impending free agency, Fehoko’s development will be a top priority for coaches and executives within Dallas, with the hope that he can one day secure that 3rd receiver spot.

SPORTS ARE OUR UNIVERSE