Don't look now, but the Dallas Cowboys may have uncovered another undrafted gem in former UAB Defensive Tackle Garrett Marino. He is one of 15 players who the Cowboys signed after the completion of the 2020 NFL Draft and one of a handful who has the potential to earn a roster spot this season.
Garrett Marino is one of the older (25) UDFAs who signed with the Dallas Cowboys this offseason, however, that shouldn't negatively impact his chances in the least of earning one of those precious few roster spots up for grabs. He's talented enough to stick around and contribute as a rookie, despite not hearing his name at any point throughout the draft.
It's not all that surprising Marino went undrafted. He was an NFL Combine snub, but he was fortunate enough to have a Pro Day where he definitely took advantage of his opportunity.
Teams that were present: Tampa Bay, New England, Jacksonville, Indianapolis, Cincinnati, Washington, Tennessee, New York Giants, Detroit, San Francisco & New Orleans.
— RIP Terez A. Paylor (@TerezPaylor) March 4, 2020
At his Pro Day, Marino showed off his strength and speed. He ran a 4.89 40-yard dash and put up 41 official reps on bench press. Those are some pretty impressive numbers for a 6'2″, 290 defensive tackle.
The Dallas Cowboys have made it pretty clear they're trying to revamp and upgrade their defensive line. They added Gerald McCoy and Dontari Poe via free agency and drafted Neville Gallimore (3rd round) to hopefully boost production. Then there's also last years second-round pick, Trysten Hill.
That unfortunately doesn't leave a lot of room for an undrafted player like Garrett Marino. He's really going to have to take advantage of every opportunity that presents itself in order to catch the eye of the coaching staff, particularly Jim Tomsula. That's something I think he's absolutely capable of doing.
In 2019, Marino finished his last season at UAB on a high note. He accumulated 43 tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss, six quarterback sacks, one forced fumble, and seven passes defensed. There's no doubt the Dallas Cowboys could use that kind of production from the interior of their defensive line.
In no way is Garrett Marino a shoo-in with the Dallas Cowboys, but his intangibles and skill set is something that at least got him a foot in the door. Sometimes that's all a player needs. Now all he has to do is prove he can do what he did with the Blazers in the NFL.
