One position the Dallas Cowboys are loaded at is wide receiver. Amari Cooper, Michael Gallup, and CeeDee Lamb form one of the league’s most dangerous trio’s at receiver, and the Cowboys have added even more firepower.
In the fifth round of the NFL Draft, the Cowboys selected Simi Fehoko out of Stanford whose 6’4 frame and speed (ran a 4.39 in the 40-yard dash) provide a different dynamic to the receiver room. They’ve dipped their toes into the undrafted free agent pool also to acquire more talent at the position, and T.J. Vasher out of Texas Tech could challenge for a final roster spot.
Vasher received a medical redshirt after suffering a season-ending injury in the opening game in 2016 in which he caught two passes for nine yards. His following three seasons for the Red Raiders were pretty productive as he registered over 500 yards and at least six touchdowns in each. In 2020, Vasher struggled with just 227 yards on 19 receptions and recorded a career-low of 11.9 yards per catch.
He doesn’t possess elite speed, needs to work on his route running and filling out his frame but Vasher comes with some intriguing raw traits. He’s 6’6 with a wide catch radius so that makes him an ideal threat in the redzone. Also, with a 37-inch vertical on top of his height, he can make plays vertically down the field on contested throws, which he had a history of doing during his days in Lubbock.
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With Cooper, Gallup, Lamb, and Fehoko taking up four spots on the depth chart, Vasher will battle with fellow undrafted free agents Osirus Mitchell (Mississippi St.), Brandon Smith (Iowa), and Brennan Eagles (Texas) for one of the final two spots at wide receiver. Veterans Noah Brown and Cedrick Wilson won’t make it easy for Vasher either as they’ve held down the primary backup roles for a while now.
Undrafted free agents always have steep hills to climb in regards to making NFL rosters. However, there are always hidden gems that stand out, and Vasher’s height and athleticism give me a shoot to do just that. One thing’s for certain, the competition among the wide receiver group in Dallas will be interesting during training camp.
