T.J. Bass closes out rookie year with solid effort

It’s not often that you say a guard stole the show in an NFL game, but we’re going to go ahead and say that’s exactly what T.J. Bass did on Sunday.

The undrafted free agent rookie got his second start of the year against the Commanders. And did he ever make the most of it.

T.J. Bass (66) looks on as Dak Prescott scrambles in the Cowboys win over the Commanders on Sunday. (Dallas Morning News photo)

Along with Brock Hoffman, also making his second start to fill in for a banged up offensive line, Bass was a beast.

The duo led the Cowboys in total snaps, each putting in 72 snaps on offense and another eight on special teams.

Hoffman did draw one holding penalty, but Dallas scored a touchdown on the drive anyway. Bass was clean all game.

The Cowboys had one of their better running games of the season. If this is a sign of things to come, opposing defenses are in big trouble.

The one takeaway for the rookies for the entire regular season is this: The three undrafted free agents clearly outplayed the eight drafted players.

Mazi Smith

(1st Round – Michigan – Defensive Tackle)

Smith’s run as a starter ended at three games with the return of Johnathan Hankins to the lineup.

Smith finished with two more snaps on the day, 15, than Hankins. But he still ended up tied with Hankins for fourth among the defensive tackles in total snaps.

Mazi Smith.

He recorded no official stats for the second straight game in what has been a disappointing season.

His regular season numbers ended up with three starts in 17 games played. He had one sack, 13 tackles (nine solo), three tackles for a loss and three QB hits.

He averaged just under 18 defensive snaps per game for the regular season.

Luke Schoonmaker

(2nd Round – Michigan – Tight End)

The former Wolverine nearly doubled his offensive snap count of the previous two weeks in Sunday’s win.

Schoonmaker had 28 snaps against the Commanders – he had 30 combined against the Dolphins and Lions – but still failed to be targeted for a single pass.

For the season, he played in all 17 games. He finished with eight catches for 65 yards and two touchdowns. But he’ll likely be remembered for the goal line catch at Philadelphia that wasn’t a touchdown.

He was targeted 15 times, giving him a catch percentage of just 53.3% for his rookie campaign.

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.

Viliami Fehoko

(4th Round – San Jose State – Edge)

Fehoko was inactive once again. He did not see any action in a regular season game this year.

Asim Richards

(5th Round – North Carolina – Offensive Tackle)

Richards played in his eighth game of the season on Sunday. He was inactive in the other nine Cowboys’ games.

Against the Commanders he had seven snaps on offense and another eight on special teams.

For the season saw 39 snaps on offense and another 39 on special teams.

Eric Scott Jr.

(6th Round – New Mexico – Defensive Back)

Scott never saw a single snap on the field in a regular season game this year.

Deuce Vaughn

(6th Round – Kansas State – Running Back)

Vaughn was active for Sunday’s regular season finale but did not play in the game.

Deuce Vaughn.

For the season, Vaughn had 23 carries for 40 yards and seven receptions for 40 yards. He failed to find the end zone during the season.

The rookie had four punt returns for 19 yards. He saw 61 snaps on offense and 31 on special teams in seven games.

Jalen Brooks

(7th Round – South Carolina – Wide Receiver)

Brooks had nine offensive snaps and another 10 on special teams. He caught the lone Dak Prescott pass he was target with for just one yard.

In seven games this season, Brooks caught all six passes thrown in his direction for 64 yards but did not score a touchdown.

He had 77 offensive snaps and another 82 on special teams this year.

T.J. Bass

(UDFA – Oregon – Guard)

In his second start Bass clearly had his best game of the year. Look for him to be a full-time starter next season.

He played in all 17 games this year. He finished with 343 offensive snaps – 20 per game – and another 91 on special teams.

Hunter Luepke

(UDFA – North Dakota State – Running Back)

Luepke still hasn’t touched the ball since the botched handoff with Prescott against Miami.

He was on the field for 25 offensive snaps and 13 on special teams. He also threw a good block on Tony Pollard’s touchdown run.

Luepke played in all 17 games this season, getting 19 yards on six carries and scoring one touchdown. He caught three passes for 18 yards on four targets/

He added two kick returns for 15 yards and made four tackles, three solo, on special teams.

Luepke had 153 offensive snaps – nine per game – and another 271 on special teams, about 16 per game.

Brandon Aubrey

(UDFA – Notre Dame – Kicker)

Aubrey became the Cowboys’ all-time single-season scoring leader with 157 points, passing Emmitt Smith’s 1995 total of 150.

A blocked field goal and another off the upright ended his perfect record and his bid for two NFL records. Still he holds the record for consecutive field goals made to start a career at 35.

Aubrey finished the year making 36-of-38 field goals and 49-of-53 extra point attempts. Only 10 of his 109 kickoffs failed to end in touchbacks.

The Notre Dame rookie was 9-for-9 in field goals under 29 yards. His only two misses came between 30-39 yards as he went 13-for-15.

He was 4-for-4 between 40-49 yards and an impressive 10-for-10 at 50 yards or more. His long was 60 yards.