Maybe they're just late bloomers up there in Wolverine Country?
The Cowboys' top two rookie draft picks from Michigan are starting to show signs of why they were drafted so high.
Mazi Smith had an effective game for the second-straight week and Luke Schoonmaker showed he can catch a pass and fall into the endzone for a touchdown.
Fellow rookie Brandon Aubrey continues to solidify the kicking game while Hunter Luepke had two key blocks in his full back role.
Overall it was a good showing by the rookies in Carolina.
Mazi Smith
(1st Round – Michigan – Defensive Tackle)
Smith continued to build off of last week's performance against the Giants and seems to be gaining more of the confidence of his coaches as well.
Smith saw 19 defensive snaps – third among the defensive tackles – against Carolina on Sunday. He finished the game with an assist and one quarterback hit.
While he isn't setting the league on fire, he is starting to shake off the “bust” label that was starting to hang over his head.
That has to make his coaches – and the fan base – very happy.
Luke Schoonmaker
(2nd Round – Michigan – Tight End)
We have a positive Schoonmaker sighting! The rookie hauled in a deep pass, held on to it, and scored a touchdown on Sunday.
For the first time in his brief career, Schoonmaker recorded a multiple-catch game.
Dak Prescott targeted him twice and the rookie caught both for 23 total yards. One was a nice 18-yard touchdown to open the scoring for the game.
Schoonmaker finished with 25 offensive snaps and another 12 on special teams.
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 once again inactive for the week. He has yet to play a single snap for Dallas in 2023.
Asim Richards
(5th Round – North Carolina – Offensive Tackle)
Richards was inactive on Sunday. It is the fourth game Richards has not suited up for this season.
Eric Scott Jr.
(6th Round – New Mexico – Defensive Back)
Scott was once again inactive for the week. Like Fehoko, he has yet to play a single snap for Dallas in 2023.
Deuce Vaughn
(6th Round – Kansas State – Running Back)
Vaughn was inactive on Sunday. It is the fourth game Vaughn has not suited up for this season.
Jalen Brooks
(7th Round – South Carolina – Wide Receiver)
Brooks saw 16 snaps on offense and another 12 on special teams in his fourth game of action.
He was not targeted once during the game by Prescott or Cooper Rush. Nor did he get a single touch in the return game.
T.J. Bass
(UDFA – Oregon – Guard)
Bass had 11 snaps on offense and another six on special teams.
For the second straight week, Bass' stat line only listed his snap counts. But given he drew no penalties that's not bad news for any offensive lineman.
Hunter Luepke
(UDFA – North Dakota State – Running Back)
Luepke had just eight offensive snaps but made two key blocks on Sunday.
One block sprang Tony Pollard for a first down run. The other one helped get Pollard into the endzone to start the fourth quarter.
Luepke also had two special teams tackles on 18 snaps.
Brandon Aubrey
(UDFA – Notre Dame – Kicker)
While Aubrey remains “Aubreymatic” on his field goals, we'll have to reduce him to “Semi-Aubreymatic” on his extra point attempts after Sunday.
Aubrey hit two more field goals to extend his NFL record for consecutive kicks made to begin a career to 21 on Sunday.
After missing his first point after try of the year in New York, Aubrey had reeled off 29 straight point after kicks.
He made his first three on Sunday before yanking his fourth attempt left to snap the streak. It wasn't a Brett Maher shank at least.
Aubrey remains a perfect 16-of-16 in point after attempts at AT&T Stadium however.
