The NFL now has 13 games under its belt for the 2023 season. It shouldn’t be much of a surprise that the rookies are starting to hit the wall.
Aside from Brandon Aubrey, the Cowboys’ rookie class certainly appears to have done so.
Hunter Luepke and Luke Schoonmaker made some small contributions in Thursday’s 41-35 win over Seattle.
But the rest of the class was either inactive or failed to make a dent in the stat sheet Thursday night.
Aubrey continues to be the cream of the 11-rookie crop.
But this draft class is not looking like one to be remembered among the all-time best.
Mazi Smith
(1st Round – Michigan – Defensive Tackle)
Smith saw just 11 defensive snaps and none on special teams. He was tied for third-most – which also means last – among the five defensive tackles in snaps.
Smith registered no official stats in the 11 plays that he was on the field.
He continues to underwhelm as a first-round pick with just 10 tackles for the season.
Luke Schoonmaker
(2nd Round – Michigan – Tight End)
Schoonmaker saw 25 snaps on offense and another 13 on special teams.
He was targeted one time by Dak Prescott. He caught the pass for a 12-yard gain and a first down.
Schoonmaker has seven catches for 61 yards and two touchdowns for the season.
DeMarvion Overshown
(3rd Round – Texas – Linebacker)
Overshown continues to rehab from a pre-season knee injury suffered in Seattle.
Viliami Fehoko
(4th Round – San Jose State – Edge)
Fehoko was inactive once again. He has seen no action in a regular season game this year.
Asim Richards
(5th Round – North Carolina – Offensive Tackle)
Richards was inactive for the fourth straight game.
He has been inactive in six of the 12 games this season.
Eric Scott Jr.
(6th Round – New Mexico – Defensive Back)
Scott was inactive once again. He has seen no action in a regular season game this year.
Deuce Vaughn
(6th Round – Kansas State – Running Back)
Vaughn was inactive for the third-straight game and sixth overall for the year. He has 38 rushing yards and 11 receiving yards for the year.
A preseason darling, Vaugh appears to be plunging down the depth chart in Dallas.
Jalen Brooks
(7th Round – South Carolina – Wide Receiver)
Brooks was inactive, the seventh time in 12 games he has not suited up. Brooks has five catches for 63 yards on the season.
T.J. Bass
(UDFA – Oregon – Guard)
Bass saw just seven snaps on special teams and none on offense. It is the second-consecutive game he has not lined up for a play on offense.
Hunter Luepke
(UDFA – North Dakota State – Running Back)
Luepke had 11 snaps on offense as a blocking back and 15 more on special teams. His lone touch of the game was a 15-yard kickoff return to close out the first half.
Luepke has 3 carries for 13 yards and a touchdown to go with 10 yards on two receptions for the season.
Brandon Aubrey
(UDFA – Notre Dame – Kicker)
Aubrey hit all four field goal attempts and all three extra point tries against Seattle.
All seven of his total kicks were inside of 39 yards.
He has now hit an NFL record 26 straight field goal attempts to begin his career. He has made 36 of his 39 extra point tries.
Give Mazi more playing time!
Shawn Lawther he should be playing. They need him for run blocking up the middle
Tracey Miller they’ve been give all the playing time to Osi and Hankins! Mazi is better than both those guys but can’t get on the field
Not better than Osa you crazy for saying that
Shawn Lawther he is NOT better than OSI who is Cowboys best defensive Lineman
Can we please stop drafting guys out of Michigan in the first 3 rounds? Taco Charlton? Mazi? Schoonmaker? Trash.
Shawn Lawtherin pee wee football maybe……he is awful, the worst first round pick I’ve ever seen them make so far.
Wow start put the players before they get in playing time. Such cut throat moves to start cutting players.
Bait title to get fans down on rookies.
Mazi Smith was pancaked and then taken out of the line early.
This is a lost year for the draft .
Actually based on last 2 games seems like defense has hit a wall
Doug Mackenzie well rested now we played 3 games in 11 days should be good to go now
Clint Coop Seattle played same schedule and Dallas won TOP against them. They still lit up defense, sorry that is no excuse
Doug Mackenzie guess what Seattle lost all 3 games Dallas win all 3….
Doug Mackenzie it happens sometimes it’s the NFL anything can happen on any given Sunday…As long as the Cowboys win
Clint Coop want them to win, my point is only the defense is the Cowboys weakest link and has been since last SB
Doug Mackenzie they really need a big ass Middle LB like a Ray Lewis type… They keep using hybrid types and LVE was big but not very aggressive
Clint Coop actually they need Quinn to focus on sound defense and gap control not use try for sacks ignoring RB and failing to secure the edge
Doug Mackenzie last 2 games were Washington and the Seahawks. We smoked Washington so I don’t know why you said the last 2 games.
Doug Mackenzie Washington scored 10 points.
Jeff Wise and the Seattle game the refs were calling every touch PI on both teams, no defense allowed.
Dan Walters exactly. Also credit has to be given to other teams for playing well. People have to stop putting the entire onus of a game on the Cowboys.
Jeff Wise crediting other teams for playing well is reasonable, but if the Cowboys want to be a top tier team they need to be able to go out and win the tough games and Seattle was a good start. Beat a solid team, playing hard, with tough refs, 3rd game in 11 days. Need to continue and get wins against the Eagles and Bills especially and they will definitely be able to be in the convo as a top tier team.
Dan Walters so let’s look at the trends this team has slowly broken that’s gone unnoticed. I’ve always believed if the Cowboys could break these trends, they’d get back to the SB.
1. Winning all 3 games in that 12 day stretch the play every year. They haven’t done that in years.
2. To have at least 3 straight seasons of playoff appearances, because the personnel will begin to expect it! We’re checking that box!
Finally: win at least 8 consecutive regular season games. We have a chance to do it and I think they will starting tonight!
Jeff Wise i definitely think they are moving in the right direction. I think Dak is playing his best football since his big leg injury. I think letting Moore go as OC was one of the best moves they could have made. His play calling was predictable and he didn’t know how to utilize the players he had, look how the Chargers are doing now.
Dan Walters facts! Also I notice how this Cowboys team is very similar to Mike McCarthys Packers teams. They were never front runners. They caught fire later. I remember a rookie Dak Prescott and Zeke going to Green Bay and beating the Packers 30-16. Playoffs rolled around, McCarthys Packers came to Dallas and had us down 21-3 in the first quarter. I trust that he will have this team fully prepared as we go forward. That’s why often tell people in these groups to keep watching.
Mazi is fair at best. Schoonmaker is not bad, a very good blocker. Ferguson is the real thing. Pollard has been awful. Good luck on Sunday, I think we will prevail.
Mazi is terrible. We’ve got another Tristian Hill scenario or maybe worse because Mazi fits the scheme but he just isn’t good.
You are aware that most rookies hit a wall around this time of the year. Their bodies are used to a collegiate schedule.
Worst draft ever.
Tony Bennett it definitely is. The only good one Overshown is hurt. Worst draft in the league.
This class looks like a bust. The kicker is technically not part of the class. I am intrigued the seventh round wr and fifth round o linemen. The best pick was the third round linebacker but he may never play. I don’t call them by name until they earn it. First two rounds should have been dalton Kincaid and o Cyrus Torrance. Boys have to stop letting teams leapfrog them to get players they want. Eagles did it to get dallas goeddert, too.
Go cowboys beat the eagles