Tag: 2021 rookie minicamp

Cowboys coaches impressed with rookie WR Jalen Tolbert so far: ‘He’s awesome’

The rookie WR lined up in several spots at South Alabama under OC Major Applewhite; that versatility will be a big bonus in Dallas. | From @ToddBrock24f7

The Cowboys drafted Jalen Tolbert in the third round. They nearly took him in the second. But the rookie wide receiver from South Alabama could end up being even far more valuable than that.

It’s been just rookie minicamp, one weekend of work. And fairly light-duty work at that. But Cowboys offensive coordinator Kellen Moore already likes what he’s seen.

“He’s awesome,” Moore said of Tolbert after just the first day. “I think he works his tail off. I think you can tell how prepared he is and how detailed he wants to be. I think he’s going to be a really good addition for us.”

But that addition may be able to multiply his worth to the Dallas roster by serving in several different roles.

“We’ll try to get him to learn as many spots as possible,” Moore previewed. “We’ll start him in a Z-type position, maybe play him in the slot. We’ll get him moved all around the field. We like to do that with a number of our receivers, so we’ll do the same thing with him.”

The 23-year-old says he’s more than ready for that kind of multitasking, thanks to his experience at the college level under the tutelage of a former Texas legend.

“Two years ago, I really just played outside receiver. And this past year, Major Applewhite, my OC, brought down the pro-style system.”

Applewhite was the Longhorns’ prolific quarterback from 1998 to 2001 and still holds a handful of school passing records. Now the quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator for the South Alabama Jaguars, he helped develop Tolbert into the Sun Belt Conference’s Offensive Player of the Year last season.

“I was able to play the 3, 2, 1, single, wherever they put me at; I played multiple spots in the game. I think that’s something Coach McCarthy loves about my game is that my versatility showed up on tape. When I talked with him, that’s one thing he emphasized, me learning all the spots. So if CeeDee [Lamb] or MG [Michael Gallup] have got to go somewhere else,” Tolbert explained, “I can play all of the above. I think they’re excited about that, and I’m excited about being able to move around and get matchups with people that probably shouldn’t be guarding me.”

And as Tolbert moves around the field, the idea is to create more of those mismatches for defenders.

“I need to work on more of the slot-type routes,” the Mobile native admitted. “Usually, I’m the downfield deep threat receiver, and so now I need to be able to get consistent on whip routes and change of direction in the middle of the field and the box with the linebackers.”

It’s a steep learning curve for someone who came to football late. And so far, he’s impressing the Cowboys coaching staff with how he’s handling that curve. He asked for- and received- a playbook from quarterback Dak Prescott right after the draft so he could get a head-start on learning his routes in the new offense.

“I think he’s going to do fine,’ head coach Mike McCarthy told media members after the opening day of camp. “He’s young, and frankly, one of the things he made a big point of in our initial conversation was he’s pretty young at the game of football. He didn’t play a lot of football. So that’s exciting, because — these are his words — ‘I don’t know how high my ceiling is, but I think it’s going to be pretty damn high.’ And I was like, ‘Hell yeah, it’s going to be high.'”

McCarthy compared Tolbert to both CeeDee Lamb and recently-departed receiver/special teamer/gadget play guy Cedrick Wilson.

“That’s his body type,” the coach continued, “and I think that illustrates what we’re looking for when you have that type of skillset where you can come in here and have the ability to play inside and outside. I think it’s a real value.”

But Tolbert’s contributions could, like those two examples, also come via special teams. He was one of many Cowboys lining up over the weekend to field punts as Dallas looks to take Lamb out of that high-exposure role.

Tolbert says his baseball background came back to him as he shagged kicks over the weekend, but the hot and bright north Texas sun didn’t make it easy.

“I missed one in the sun,” he told reporters with a smile. “I lost it; it caught me. I wasn’t paying attention to the sun at first because we were to the left. I ran to the right, looked straight up, and all I saw was sun.”

Tolbert knows he wouldn’t have that to worry about inside AT&T Stadium, but he also has the right attitude about improving that skill, saying he was eager to go out and make up for the error next time.

“It’s all good. You make things hard now so it’s easier later.”

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Cowboys to tryout pair of QBs at rookie minicamp

Nick Starkel and Terry Wilson played college ball at Texas A&M and Kentucky, respectively, before transferring to smaller schools. | From @ToddBrock24f7

When the Cowboys’ rookie class takes the field for the first time later this week, they’ll have two fresh faces under center.

Rookie minicamp gets underway at The Star in Frisco on Friday and goes through Sunday, with all nine of this year’s draft picks and 20 undrafted free agents expected to attend.

But none of the aforementioned individuals are quarterbacks. And since league rules prohibit any player who has seen action in a regular season game from participating, the Cowboys will bring in two passers on a tryout basis.

Nick Starkel and Terry Wilson will serve as camp arms for the weekend’s sessions, according to ESPN’s Todd Archer.

Wilson spent the 2018 through 2020 season at Kentucky and earned the nickname “Terry Touchdown” in his time with the Wildcats. He amassed over 3,400 passing yards and more than 1,000 rushing yards before transferring to New Mexico for the most recent college season. He got some good pro exposure when he returned to Lexington for Kentucky’s Pro Day in March, where he threw to heavily-scouted receiver Wan’Dale Robinson. (Robinson was selected in the second round by the New York Giants.)

Starkel’s name may be more familiar to football fans in the Lone Star State. He played for Texas A&M in 2017 and 2018, then lost the Aggies’ starting gig to Kellen Mond. Starkel transferred to Arkansas, where he played for eight games and then announced he would transfer again, citing conflict with the coaching staff. He wound up at San Jose State for the 2020 season and threw for over 2,100 yards and 17 touchdowns as a senior, leading the Spartans to a Mountain West championship.

Starkel was invited to the Jets’ minicamp last weekend.

Both quarterbacks appear eager to take advantage of this opportunity in Dallas, as evidenced by recent tweets.

Also taking part in minicamp will be practice squad veterans guard Isaac Alarcón, safety Tyler Coyle, defensive end Austin Faoliu, center Brandon Jones, kicker Chris Naggar, and wide receivers T.J. Vasher and Brandon Smith.

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‘Beating up on centers:’ Rookie Bohanna aspires to unglamorous trench domination for Cowboys

The sixth-rounder knows his contributions rarely show up in the stats, but he plans on becoming the Dallas linebackers’ best friend.

For the hundreds of young men trying to break into the NFL as rookies each year, the learning curve can be overwhelming. But for Quinton Bohanna, the massive defensive lineman taken by the Cowboys in the sixth round of this year’s draft, it couldn’t be clearer what his main job is.

“Beating up on centers,” Bohanna stated plainly. “You know, letting people behind me run free and make plays.”

Those “people” behind him running free are the Dallas linebackers. When Bohanna does his job well and clogs up the offensive linemen in front of him, the linebackers can more easily crash down onto ball carriers. It’s a task that will never show up in the stats or be listed in official box scores, but it’s a role that the 6-foot-4-inch Kentucky product enjoys.

“That ain’t hard to take. That ain’t a hard thing for me to do,” Bohanna told reporters during rookie minicamp. “I don’t look at it as a bad thing. It’s a good thing. The team and the coaches know my value and what I can do. And in the same way, I can go make plays myself; I’ve got some athleticism where I can go penetrate and make plays in the backfield when needed. I take pride in the job. That’s what I do; it’s my body type, it’s my position.”

Bohanna is somewhat nonchalant about his gargantuan physical presence, but at 360 pounds, he is, as Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram points out, the biggest defensive lineman in Cowboys history. And that combination of size and skill makes him a natural at one specific position on that line in particular.

“He’s a nose tackle,” defensive coordinator Dan Quinn said shortly after the Cowboys drafted Bohanna.

“He’s going to be right over the center. Sometimes here, other times right there,” Quinn said, measuring the difference with his hands by just inches.

But that doesn’t mean Bohanna thinks he’s a plug-and-play lock quite yet. He knows he has plenty to learn in the pro game, and the big man is even looking to bulk up in anticipation of facing NFL offensive lines.

“I like where I’m at weight-wise and how I move,” the rookie told media members. “[But] I want to add some more strength. You’ve got to get some NFL strength. It’s not college anymore; everybody’s big and strong and physical.”

That should be a very scary thought for opposing centers, guards, and tackles. And a very exciting one for Jaylon Smith, Leighton Vander Esch, Micah Parsons, and the other Cowboys linebackers who’ll be playing behind Bohanna and looking to tee off on running backs.

“Linebackers love me. All the ones I’ve played with so far.”

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Dan Quinn shows hands-on mentality with D-line in Cowboys minicamp

The new Dallas coordinator put in work and even took a few snaps with the Cowboys defensive line during the weekend’s minicamp sessions.

The weekend’s rookie minicamp offered Cowboys fans their first signs of what to expect from the team’s batch of newcomers. Of particular note, the fresh faces making up the supposedly-revamped Dallas defense. Over the three-day session at the team facilities, Micah Parsons, Jabril Cox, Kelvin Joseph, and the rest of the youngsters had their every move put under the microscope.

Based on what was seen and the reports that have trickled out from the gathered media, though, Cowboys Nation might have cause to be the most excited about the 50-year-old out of Morristown, New Jersey.

Defensive coordinator Dan Quinn came to town with a reputation as a coach that players love to play for, a hands-on teacher who’s not afraid to rumble with the guys during instructional time. And while Quinn may not have been able to do that often while overseeing all phases of the game as head coach in Atlanta, his new role in Dallas is already affording him the opportunity to get in the trenches.

That one-on-one approach doesn’t come as a surprise to Quinn’s former players. Keanu Neal, a safety in Atlanta for five years, saw it first-hand.

NFL insider Jane Slater tweeted over the weekend that Neal told her and producer Bobby Belt that “coach will mix it up with you in his J’s.”

“The time on the field, that’s the best part of the week for me in the preparation phase,” Quinn told reporters recently in his first press conference as Dallas defensive coordinator. “I like teaching in the classroom, but the on-the-field work, in-the-drill work, that part is priceless for me, because you can give instant feedback to somebody about their technique, about where they’re at. And having that energy, man, that’s the best. I love being hands-on with the guys.”

Quinn reportedly got several reps during team drills when sixth-round defensive tackle Quinton Bohanna exited with some shoulder soreness. The Kentucky product said after practice that he was fine, and he ultimately missed just a few snaps before reclaiming his spot from Quinn.

“Coach Quinn looked good, looked like he was ready to get in there,” Bohanna said, per Machota’s minicamp recap in The Athletic. “You know everybody try to go back to their old glory days, but it ain’t no me out there. It’s a big difference when I’m in and when I’m out.”

Quinn is looking to make a big difference of his own in the Cowboys defense of 2021, even if it will be- mostly- from the sidelines.

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Dak Prescott is back, to do ‘most of the work’ in Cowboys camp, per McCarthy

The Dallas head coach believes his starting QB will be medically cleared to participate fully in next week’s training camp sessions.

The weekend was for the rookies at The Star in Frisco. Thirty-one players consisting of the Cowboys’ draft picks, undrafted free agents, tryout invitees, and practice squad/futures contract guys went through the offseason’s first work sessions with Dallas coaches at the team facility.

And while a couple quarterback prospects were in attendance and participating with the crop of newbies in these early drills, the veteran starter looks to be inching closer to his return to the field. Dak Prescott is right on track in his injury rehab, according to head coach Mike McCarthy, and should be medically cleared to start training camp with the rest of the team.

“I have no reason not to think that,” McCarthy told reporters over the weekend after one of the team’s minicamp sessisons. “I think this week and Phase Two [of the team’s offseason program] will be a nice step in that direction.”

Prescott suffered a compound fracture and dislocation of his right ankle in October of last year, then underwent a subsequent cleanup surgery in December. He has maintained that his recovery has been ahead of schedule, with McCarthy echoing that sentiment whenever asked.

The team has seemed to show faith in that diagnosis, letting last year’s backup Andy Dalton leave as a free agent and electing to not take a passer in this year’s draft. Garrett Gilbert, Ben DiNucci, and Cooper Rush remain on the roster, but the Cowboys brought in former Ohio State quarterback J.T. Barrett and Illinois State alum Brady Davis for the weekend work.

“Gives you a chance to look at the young prospects,” McCarthy said of the quarterbacks’ presence at minicamp. “”It’s just part of the evaluation. J.T. was in here last week and had an excellent workout. I’ve had a chance to watch him through college and his time down there in New Orleans [on the Saints’ practice squad]. And Brady has a neat story; I thought he clearly took a jump from yesterday’s work to today’s work.”

It could be a crowded field jockeying for the clipboard duties behind Prescott, but McCarthy expects his starter, fresh off signing his mega-contract in March, to be physically ready to handle the majority of his responsibilities come OTA workouts, which are slated to begin for the Cowboys on May 24.

“I think he’ll do most things,” McCarthy said. “There’s a plan in place that’s coordinated with [athletic trainers] Britt [Bowman] and Jim [Maurer] in the training room. But I know he feels really good. He’s had some excellent workouts here in the last couple weeks. I see him doing most of the work.”

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‘You get to be a Rambo player,’ Parsons soaks in return to football as Cowboys’ Mike LB

Micah Parsons made his return to the football field during Cowboys rookie minicamp and expressed his excitement for the upcoming season.

Cowboys first-round pick Micah Parsons made his last appearance on a football field during the 2019 Cotton Bowl against Memphis. During that game, the Penn State phenom took over with 14 tackles, two sacks, two forced fumbles, and two pass deflections. That was the last time he was in a real practice as well.

During a Q&A session following Dallas’ initial rookie minicamp practice for the 2021 draft class, Parsons opened up about what it was like to be back on the field.

Last time I hit a sled….Cotton Bowl practice.

The first rep we got the rust off. The second rep was like, I’m back now. That is how it is. We just wiped the dust off and acted like it was brand new.

Now back in a football regimen, Parsons soaked in the moment with the fellow members of the 2021 Cowboys draft class.

It felt extraordinary just to get back out there and being with some of the guys I got drafted with. This is a special class. This class is going to impact the team and we are going to keep getting better. I’m just super excited to be part of this team. This team has a great chance to do great things. Once we click and the young guys get xxx we are going to be really, really good football team.

Parsons is expected to make an impact quickly and will play Mike linebacker, taking over the middle of the defense for defensive coordinator Dan Quinn’s scheme. In Seattle, Quinn had All-Pro Bobby Wagner in that role and could see Parsons reaching for that level of success.

Will and Mike are just alike. I’m just coordinating and being a dominant force. They wouldn’t move me there if they didn’t have a need a Mike. Mike linebacker you get a chance to force. You get to be a Rambo player. You can to matchup on running backs. You get a chance to play in the box. That is what I do best. You watch what I did in college. I was able to go sideline to sideline. I can go both ways. Always be around the ball. They know that is what I do best. I am excited to start there.

When working his way to the NFL, Parsons had a mentor in former Pro Bowl linebacker Lavar Arrington, who stayed in contact with him since his time in Penn State. Parsons worked out in California during the offseason and spent time with Arrington, gaining wisdom from the NFL vet.

I lean on him a lot from a mental aspect of how to be a pro, what mistakes he made. You know you’ve got to learn from other people’s mistakes, what they did well, what they didn’t do well. Lavar does a great job explaining. I leaned on him a lot when I was in California training. I went over there at least once a week and we talked every day –whether we were playing chess, board games, didn’t matter.

After rookie minicamp comes to a close after a week, Parsons will be joined by the likes of veteran starters Jaylon Smith and Leighton Vander-Esch. The pair could potentially be competing with the Penn State product but that hasn’t stopped them from growing a connection as teammates and friends.

It’s all love and it’s all business. I don’t think there’s ay love lost. I’m not trying to come in here and tell these guys what to do I’m just trying to earn my place. I’d say that’s a little I’ve got to find my place on this team and become a factor to even think about things like that so I’m still working. I was drafted but there’s so much more I’ve got to accomplish and prove before I can worry about taking anybody’s spot. These guys have been in the league and made their point already so I’m just blessed to be able to learn after them and hopefully make my way to become a type of player like them or better.

Learning from Pro Bowlers, Parsons could make an immediate impact for the Dallas defense and it starts this summer during the rest of minicamp and full OTA’s.

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