Three underdog Cowboys players that can quickly become everyone's training camp darling
Every year, there's a training camp darling that emerges on each NFL team's roster. This is something not lost on Dallas Cowboys fans who have fallen in love with many players over the year, some of which have "made it" and some of which have been coldly cut right before September.It's part of the magic […]
Every year, there's a training camp darling that emerges on each NFL team's roster. This is something not lost on Dallas Cowboys fans who have fallen in love with many players over the year, some of which have "made it" and some of which have been coldly cut right before September.
It's part of the magic of camp. One highlight or two is enough to get fans' imaginations going.
Ahead of the Cowboys 2024 training camp, which will kick off on Wednesday the 24th, I preview three players who could be the next camp darlings of the fanbase.
TE Brevyn Spann-Ford
This is the most obvious one to me. Last year, Cowboys fans fell in love with undrafted free agent John Stephens Jr. before he suffered a season-ending injury in the preseason. Since then, we've learned the 6-5 offensive weapon would've made the 53-man roster.
Now, the Cowboys might move on to another underdog to root for at the position: Brevyn Spann-Ford.
With a 6-7, 270 pounds build, Spann-Ford looks the part. He also excelled as a run blocker at Minnesota and his one problem appears to be catching the ball, as he had an extremely high drop rate in his last season in college. If he fixes that, he looks like somebody primed for a surprise spot on the roster and you know Cowboys fans will be rooting for him.
WR David Durden
A second-year UDFA, Durden is coming back from ACL injury. The Cowboys liked him enough to envision him potentially taking on a special teams ace role as a rookie. Mitch LaPoint, the Cowboys director of college scouting, told The Athletic:
“We gave David some good money. 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.”
But be warned: It will be extremely difficult for Durden to make the roster as the Cowboys likely have their Top 6 pretty much set in stone after picking Ryan Flournoy in the fifth round of this year's NFL Draft.
OL Nathan Thomas
Cowboys fans have learned to appreciate versatile offensive linemen over the years and seventh-round rookie Nathan Thomas might be the newest example. But it's not his versatility that could turn him into a camp darling but rather his mauler style of blocking.
He's a big man and a scary sight for defensive linemen on the football field. If he can dirt some defenders once the pads come on in Oxnard, he'll have fans supporting him very quickly.
