The Dallas Cowboys season came to a crashing end on Sunday.
The team’s rookies had little impact either way in the final result. Only Brandon Aubrey and Luke Schoonmaker tallied on the official boxscore.
Aubrey totaled just four points – missing an extra point attempt late in the third quarter – while Schoonmaker caught a pass late in the game.
It was a somewhat fitting end for an otherwise lackluster effort from the entire rookie class in 2023.
Aside from Aubrey’s solid kicking throughout the year, the rookie class had few highlights. It remains to be seen how many will be on the roster in September.
Mazi Smith
(1st Round – Michigan – Defensive Tackle)
Smith saw just four snaps on defense the lowest among the five defensive tackles on the roster. He did not see any action on special teams either.
It was a disappointing end to a disappointing season for the team’s first-round pick back in April.
If there is a change in the defensive coordinator in Dallas, Smith’s weight loss before the season could be reversed. He was too easily moved by offensive lineman in 2023.
Luke Schoonmaker
(2nd Round – Michigan – Tight End)
Schoonmaker caught the only pass thrown in his direction in Sunday’s season-ending loss. His seven-yard reception was the last pass Dak Prescott completed.
Depending on how the offseason plays out – given many calls for Prescott to be traded since the loss – it would be ironic if this was Prescott’s last completion as a Cowboy.
Schoonmaker had 19 snaps on offense and another 14 on special teams.
Eight catches for 65 yards and two touchdowns is far below expectations for a second round pick. How he gets used going forward remains to be seen.
DeMarvion Overshown
(3rd Round – Texas – Linebacker)
Overshown continues to rehab from a pre-season knee injury suffered in Seattle. He looks to be on track to be ready to go for training camp this summer.
If Overshown can fully recover he will be a much-needed addition to the defense in 2024.
Viliami Fehoko
(4th Round – San Jose State – Edge)
Fehoko was inactive once again. He did not see any action in any game this year.
With no game action to judge by, it will be interesting to see if he makes the roster in 2024.
Asim Richards
(5th Round – North Carolina – Offensive Tackle)
Richards was inactive on Sunday, marking the 10th game he did not play in this year.
His status in 2024 will likely hinge on how many starters return on the offensive line.
Eric Scott Jr.
(6th Round – New Mexico – Defensive Back)
Scott never saw a single snap on the field in any game this year. It seems unlikely he will be on the roster the first week of the 2024 season.
Deuce Vaughn
(6th Round – Kansas State – Running Back)
Vaughn was placed on injured reserve to end his season prior to Sunday’s game. Vaughn had a few good moments during the season.
But the feel good story of the draft saw his star fade in the second half of the year.
Jalen Brooks
(7th Round – South Carolina – Wide Receiver)
Brooks did not play in Sunday’s loss. Brooks showed some flashes during the year.
He likely starts 2024 on the practice squad barring some departures above him on the depth chart.
T.J. Bass
(UDFA – Oregon – Guard)
Bass did not see any action on offense but did play for three snaps on special teams.
Bass was a diamond in the rough in 2023 and has tremendous upside going forward.
Hunter Luepke
(UDFA – North Dakota State – Running Back)
Luepke saw just one snap on offense and another 17 on special teams. He did not record a single stat.
It will be interesting to see if he holds onto the fullback role, as he was a good blocker.
His part in a botched handoff in Miami seemed to set him back as a ball carrier as he never touched the ball again after the miscue.
Brandon Aubrey
(UDFA – Notre Dame – Kicker)
Aubrey hit a 34-yard field goal but missed one of his two extra point attempts in Sunday’s loss to Green Bay.
Aubrey has locked down the kicking position after his record-setting campaign. Provided he doesn’t go full Brett Maher in the future.
Eric Scott went to Southern Miss.
https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/news/2023-nfl-draft-full-list-of-cowboys-draft-picks-as-dallas-takes-rb-in-round-6-after-releasing-ezekiel-elliott/
CBS Sports has him listed as New Mexico here, which was the list I was using. Thanks for the correction. I’ll look into it.
I agree with you regarding Hunter Luepke, and you have rightly pointed out that he had 19 yards on 6 carries. I believe that 5 of those were in short yardage. Including an attempt that looked like he and Dak had not practiced before the combined effort fumble on the goal line in Miami. NO MORE carries for Luepke!
Meanwhile, Deuce Vaughn had 23 attempts not of the 3rd and 1 variety and he gained all of 40 yards. I didn’t necessarily want to see Big Mac fired, but is that what analytics tell you to do? These types of mistakes have been the bane of Big Mike. And combine that with Malik Davis spending the season on the practice squad while he averaged 4.2 YPC last year. I dunno Mike, but I think I’d be running Pollard behind Luepke and splitting carries between Dowdle and Davis, ALSO running behind Luepke. And I might even give Luepke as many carries as you gave the Deuce; except he really wasn’t a Deuce at only 1.7 YPC. Maybe the better human interest story would have been Deuce as a punt returner to spell KaVonte Turpin on occasion.
Let’s get past the bust that was the #1 pick. The Cowboys could and should have had Devon Achane with the 2nd, along with a lot of other teams. Overshown flashed potential, but maybe as a backup LB who wasn’t gonna get Damone Clarks job, but might have played more after the LVE injury which provided the biggest problem for the Dairy Queen defense. BUT, overshown would have been available in the 4th round, and the DE they selected in the 4th, to become like the 12th DE/Edge for the DQ defense, didn’t make it to the playing field the ENTIRE SEASON!
If I wanted to draft a guard instead of a developmental QB in the 5th, it would not have been Asim Richards whom at 300+ lbs had some struggles getting more than a dozen reps in the bench press. And we can go back to the No 2 pick when some very good guards were available if Jerry was mad at Achane for running all-over the Razerbucks at AT&T just before the 2023 draft.
So considering that your brightest spark was injured in preseason after he could have been drafted in the 4th round. Pick 6A and 7 were what the Cowboy’s 2023 draft should be based on. I have hope for both next year, but unless a Cee Dee, Parsons or Bland accident happens again, I can only hope that the Braintrust can draft with some brain in 2024, considering your best rookies in 2023 were actually UFAs~!