David Durden is a name the Dallas Cowboys or the NFL hadn't heard much of before the 2023 NFL Draft. That's because he attended West Florida whose football program didn't have its inaugural season until 2016.

That didn't stop Cowboys' head coach Mike McCarthy from making a sales pitch at the last minute to Durden after the draft that persuaded him to come to Dallas as an undrafted free agent. Mitch LaPoint, the Cowboys director of college scouting, told The Athletic more of the direction of the conversation the team had with Durden. 

“We gave David some good money,” LaPoint says. “But I think the pitch really was this guy’s ability to play inside and outside and then the return value and special teams value. You’re gonna have a chance to compete there.”

This specific role that LaPoint details was once held in Dallas by Noah Brown who went to the Houston Texans in free agency. So, since Durden did all of this at West Florida, Dallas became more intrigued the more the rounds went by in the draft.

When McCarthy picked up the phone to seal the deal with Durden, he had some competition. Sean Payton and the Denver Broncos were hot on Durden's trail as well. However, Durden played at Mercer for two years before transferring to West Florida, and Cowboys' assistant tight ends coach Chase Haslett was on the staff which LaPoint feels was a big selling point. 

One of Durden's agents, Patrick Sullivan, says the Cowboys calling was a big surprise.

“Dallas wasn’t one that communicated with him as much as others before the draft," Sullivan said. 

Durden was named a first-team All-Southern Conference performer for Mercer in 2019 after he racked up 45 for 647 yards and four touchdowns. He didn't play in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but his two seasons at West Florida were highly productive. 

Durden would register 34 catches for 787 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2021. As a senior, Durden was even better with 54 receptions for 1,128 yards and 13 scores. He was named first-team All-GSC (Gulf South Conference) twice at West Florida.

At 6'1" and 204 pounds, Durden has excellent speed (4.46 in the 40-yard dash) and athleticism with his 37-inch vertical and 10'7" in the broad jump. 

Most players that go through what Durden did during the draft process would likely use that as fuel to the fire for them to succeed once they finally got shot. However, Durden views it a little differently. 

“I’ve never really needed a lot of motivation to want to play the game of football,” Dured said. “But this just will make it that much more fun to go out there and prove it — Hey, you didn’t pick me.”

Well, you have your shot now, Durden. Take advantage.