Former Cowboys All-Pro gives major props to WR Simi Fehoko
The Cowboys once had as good of a three-headed monster at wide receiver as any team in the NFL with Amari Cooper, CeeDee Lamb, and Michael Gallup. With Cooper now in Cleveland, wide receiver has moved up the priority list for the Cowboys in the draft later this month, but a potential breakout gem could […]
The Cowboys once had as good of a three-headed monster at wide receiver as any team in the NFL with Amari Cooper, CeeDee Lamb, and Michael Gallup. With Cooper now in Cleveland, wide receiver has moved up the priority list for the Cowboys in the draft later this month, but a potential breakout gem could already be on the roster.
Former Cowboys receiver Dez Bryant sure thinks so. When Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram mentioned how Dallas has a deep enough depth chart at receiver to let Malik Turner go to the 49ers, a fan stated that he believes Simi Fehoko can do damage on the field if given the opportunity.
Bryant, who is never at a loss for words, agreed that Fehoko can make plays, and the 2021 fifth-round pick responded by letting the public know that he's coming to make an impact soon.
There's plenty of reason for Bryant to feel the way he does. After completing a two-year mission in Seoul, Korea as a part of his Mormon faith, Fehoko began his collegiate career at Stanford in 2018. He registered just one reception for six yards, however, the season after is when Fehoko made a name for himself in the college ranks.
Fehoko may have only snagged 24 receptions but he gained 566 yards and scored six touchdowns while establishing a school record with 23.6 yards per catch. The 2020 season for Stanford was cut down to six games due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but Fehoko produced at a high level.
The former four-star recruit received First-Team All-Pac-12 honors after hauling in 37 passes for 574 yards. Fehoko would end the season with a bang by setting a school record with 16 receptions against UCLA for 230 yards (third-most in school history) and scored all three of his touchdowns in that game.
After the Cowboys took a defensive player with each of their first six picks in 2021, Fehoko was the second consecutive offensive player taken after offensive tackle Josh Ball was taken in the fourth round. Unfortunately for Fehoko, he couldn't make a significant push for playing time and only logged seven offensive snaps (48 on special teams) as a rookie and didn't record a single catch.
New opportunity on the horizon
Outside of the aforementioned Lamb and Gallup, there's an opportunity for other players at the wide receiver position in Dallas to step up. James Washington may have the lead to be the Cowboys' WR3 but that's not set in stone. This is the time for Fehoko to use his 6-foot-4 frame and great speed (ran a 4.39 in the 40-yard dash) to climb the depth chart and possibly provide a big red zone target for Dak Prescott and a matchup nightmare for opposing defensive backs.
Fehoko spoke after he drafted about how he still had a way to go to reach his ceiling on the field, but he didn't lack any confidence that he could.
“I’m still raw. I’m undeveloped. I really need one person to learn from,” Fehoko said. “And I think that with my God-given abilities and gifts, there’s no reason that I can’t be the best WR in this draft class, if not the league.”
Fehoko has his shot now to take all of that untapped ability and become an important piece of a high-powered Cowboys' offense. That's easier said than done so the second-year receiver will have to grind to make it happen.
Features image via Billy Hardiman-USA TODAY Sports
