If there is any team in the NFL that can identify an undrafted free agent who will make an impact, it is our Dallas Cowboys.
Will McClay and his personnel group receive much praise now, but Dallas has a history of making noise after the draft.
The common names to point to for this team are Tony Romo and Miles Austin, but the list continues beyond there.
I would include Ronald Leary and Cole Beasley as excellent finds as well.
Over the last two seasons, Dallas grabbed Peyton Hendershot, Malik Davis, and Terence Steele to solidify the roster.
Now we find ourselves in 2023.
The number of talented players who didn’t hear their names called during the draft process was astounding.
Nevertheless, Dallas scooped up a few of them, and three, in particular, may have a path to hit the ground running on Week 1.
Isaiah Land’s name not being called during the draft was a shocker to some.
Isaiah Land’s name not being called during the draft was a shocker to some.As the linebacker group stands today, two players whose names are not Micah Parsons have played significant time in an NFL game.
Those individuals are Leighton Vander Esch and Damone Clark.
Could that position group use a spark?
You bet they could. Isaiah Land could be the man for the job.
If you didn’t know, Land measured 6’3 1/2″ and weighed 236 lbs. at the NFL Combine.
The athletic testing would not have blown your socks off, but they were plenty good to play linebacker at this level.
Some media scouts even pegged him as a draftable player, for whatever that’s worth.
The fun begins here. The Florida A&M product’s ability to get to the quarterback is jaw-dropping.
Land had a whopping 19 sacks in 2021. We know the cynics will see it was at an FCS school.
If you can consistently get to the money man, I want him on this roster.
That same season he even caught Dan Quinn’s eye while scouting Markquese Bell at Florida A&M.
DeMarvion Overshown will have much to say about how the final roster spots shake out.
However, depending on how you label Parsons, Dallas will carry five or six. They should be able to find spots for both young talents.
Isaiah will not give you grief in playing special teams, which is another bonus.
If anything, his biggest challenge will be getting acclimated to the game’s speed.
While playing at an HBCU was admirable, it wasn’t in the Power 5 conferences.
Typically, those players need an adjustment period to develop in their role, but I don’t envision it holding him back.
Luckily for Earl Bostick, Teams could never have too many linemen
Earl Bostick, Jr. plays one of the premier football positions, the offensive tackle position.
With the Dallas Cowboys, there are two concerns and one which can be reoccurring.
First and foremost, Terence Steele is still returning from injury.
Secondly, former All-Pro Tyron Smith is outstanding and a liability in the same breath.
Matt Waletzko, Josh Ball, Chuma Edoga, Asim Richards, and Matt Farniok make up the dominoes that need to fall to solidify the offensive line.
Bostick was a former tight end turned tackle. He played the right side as well as the left side.
Dallas is always looking for that next gem especially someone with that type of versatility.
While we are crossing our fingers and holding onto our rabbit feet, there’s always the chance that Steele doesn’t come back wholly right.
Or worse, Tyron finds himself in the infirmary once again.
The Cowboys may carry five tackles.
I see a world where Dallas accepts the reality of who Josh Ball is and leave Chuma Edoga and Matt Farniok on the interior.
Unless Jason Peters limps thru the door, Waletzko, Richards, and Bostick may be your choices at tackle.
Would it be outside the realm of possibility to keep all three as an insurance policy?
With Dallas’ history of calamity on the offensive line, it would be a clever play to go that route.
Hunter Luepke will be the new swiss army knife in the offense
As I began writing this, I initially thought of Princeton Fant, the tight end from Tennessee.
However, the abilities of Hunter Luepke are too captivating.
Dallas Cowboys fans will soon see what the opponents of North Dakota State saw for the last couple of seasons.
This young man can play running back and tight end and sprinkle in some blocking.
Granted, he is not a traditional fullback by any means. In full transparency, blocking is where he needs the most work.
Head Coach Mike McCarthy can return to his Green Bay days with John Kuhn. Kuhn was known for his blocking but doubled down with his short-yardage usage.
Luepke can be that for Dallas and some.
Everything is going to come down to his effectiveness in the preseason.
Ronald Jones will also be the wild card in this equation. Getting Luepke on the field may be more difficult if Jones plays competently.
If the former Tampa Bay/Kansas City running back falters, the door may creak open ever so slightly for Hunter to gain ground.
He is another player that Dallas can double-dip on with, playing some special teams snaps in addition to his commitment to the offense.
Luepke is strong at the point of attack, has unassuming speed, and can catch the ball like a tight end.
He is a better football player than an athlete.
I like his chances of suiting up on Sunday. He’s a dream fit with McCarthy.
