Fifteen of the 17 players who make up the now-complete Cowboys practice squad are familiar faces, guys who spent training camp with the team and, in some cases, have contributed heavily on past gamedays or even hold franchise records.
But two of the practice squadders are brand new to the organization, with the newest signings taking place on Thursday.
Running back Qadree Ollison is an ex-Atlanta Falcon, having been drafted in the fifth round in 2019. He had won ACC Offensive Rookie of the Year honors at Pitt in 2015 and finished his collegiate career with 2,859 rushing yards and 29 touchdowns for the Panthers.
The New York native saw limited action as a rookie while current Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn was still head coach in Atlanta. He logged 22 carries for 50 yards and four touchdowns over eight game appearances. He got just 22 more carries over the next two seasons, racking up 108 yards and one more score. He was in camp with the Falcons this summer, lasting until final cutdowns earlier this week.
Ollison will join undrafted free agent Malik Davis as the other practice squad running back.
Qadree Ollison (RB) + Dakoda Shepley (G) have been signed to the #Cowboys practice squad. This puts them at the max of 17.
Ollison is a former Falcons fifth-round pick during the Dan Quinn era.
Shepley is former 5th-overall CFL selection who was with the Seahawks in 2021. pic.twitter.com/lhVJLEWIVp
— Patrik [No C] Walker (@VoiceOfTheStar) September 1, 2022
Officially listed by the team as a tackle, Dakoda Shepley began his pro career with the New York Jets, signing as an undrafted free agent in 2018 and going through camp with the club. But the Canadian native who attended the University of British Columbia had also been drafted- fifth overall- by the Saskatchewan Roughriders in the CFL Draft that same year. He was the team’s Most Outstanding Rookie in 2019 and was looking at a promising return when COVID-19 canceled the CFL’s 2020 season.
After opting out of his CFL contract, Shepley spent 2020 with the San Francisco 49ers, mostly on the practice squad. The 6-foot-5-inch, 290-pounder was claimed off waivers by Seattle the next season and got into eight games for the Seahawks. He, too, was cut just this week.
(Fun fact: Shepley has the distinction of being the only Cowboys player to have an uncredited cameo appearance in the 2018 feature film Deadpool 2, where he played “Omega Red Prisoner.”)
Isaac Alarcón, Aviante Collins, and center Alec Lindstrom are the other offensive linemen on the Cowboys practice squad.
Both Ollison and Shepley signed their contracts in time to join the team for the final practice of the week.
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