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Rookies mostly quiet as Cowboys feast on Turkey Day

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While the Dallas Cowboys as a team were rolling over the Commanders on Thanksgiving Day, the team’s 11 rookies were relatively quiet.

Brandon Aubrey hit a field goal and four of his five point after attempts. Jalen Brooks caught a deflected pass for a drive-extending 24-yard play.

Brooks’ effort extended a touchdown drive.

But the other nine rookies did little to stand out in the 35-point victory.

Dallas is entering a tough stretch of games for the next five weeks against teams either leading their division or very much in the playoff hunt.

The Cowboys could use a little more help from their rookie class.

Mazi Smith

(1st Round – Michigan – Defensive Tackle)

Smith saw 20 defensive snaps in Thursday’s win and recorded only one tackle.

He ranked third out of the five defensive tackles in snaps. Smith continues to serve as relief for starters Johnathan Hankins and Osa Odighizuwa.

Hankins had two sacks in the win.

Luke Schoonmaker

(2nd Round – Michigan – Tight End)

Schoonmaker was targeted twice and hauled in a 12-yard pass from Dak Prescott. He had a total of 22 snaps on offense and another 12 on special teams.

DAL at PHI: 6 plays that altered the outcome of the game
Cowboys TE Luke Schoonmaker is tackled just short of the goal line by Eagles S Reed Blankenship in a game on 11/5/2023

While the top two picks had much to celebrate on Saturday as their alma mater beat Ohio State, they aren’t doing much when they’re on the field.

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 third straight game.

He has been inactive in five of the 11 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 second-straight game and fifth overall for the year. He had 38 rushing yards and 11 receiving yards for the year.

Jalen Brooks

(7th Round – South Carolina – Wide Receiver)

Brooks was officially credited with one target even though he wasn’t Prescott’s target on the pass.

Brooks hauled in his one reception for 24 yards on a ball deflected by Jalen Tolbert – Prescott’s true target on the play.

Tolbert caught a 31-yard pass on the next play. The sequence set up a Tony Pollard seven-yard touchdown run and a 20-10 lead seconds before the half.

T.J. Bass

(UDFA – Oregon – Guard)

Bass suited up but only saw six snaps and all on special teams. It is only the third time this year that Bass did not get at least one snap on offense this year.

Hunter Luepke

(UDFA – North Dakota State – Running Back)

Luepke saw four snaps on offense and another 15 on special teams.

He had no other official stats from Thursday’s game.

Brandon Aubrey

(UDFA – Notre Dame – Kicker)

Aubrey extended his record for consecutive field goals made to begin a career to 22 on Thursday.

Cowboys’ rookies see roles increase slightly in win over the Rams
Brandon Aubrey is now 22-for-22 in field goals this season. (Getty Images)

Unfortunately, he extended his streak of weeks with a missed point after attempt to two in a row. Aubrey has now missed three of his 36 point after tries this year.

It’s really the only blemish on his record so far.

Richard Paolinelli

Staff Writer

Richard Paolinelli is a sports journalist and author. In addition to his work at InsideTheStar.com, he has a Substack -- Dispatches From A SciFi Scribe – where he discusses numerous topics, including sports in general. He started his newspaper career in 1991 with the Gallup (NM) Independent before going to the Modesto (CA) Bee, Gustine (CA) Press-Standard, and Turlock (CA) Journal -- where he won the 2001 Best Sports Story, in the annual California Newspaper Publishers Association’s Better Newspapers Contest. He then moved to the Merced (CA) Sun-Star, Tracy (CA) Press, Patch and finished his career in 2011 with the San Francisco (CA) Examiner. He has written two Non-Fiction sports books, 11 novels, and has over 30 published short stories.

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