DaRon Bland has been a ray of light in an otherwise dismal year of cornerback play for the Dallas Cowboys. The fifth-round rookie from Fresno State has arguably been one of the Cowboys’ most pleasant surprises from their most recent draft class. Bland has steadily moved up the depth chart since his selection in April. From the fringe of the roster to dime corner to nickel, Bland has risen to every challenge and quite possibly helped save the Cowboys season in the process.
With three interceptions and four pass deflections in the past three games, Bland has become the clear No. 2 cornerback in Dallas. While he’s largely played the nickel role for the Cowboys this season, he may be destined for an even bigger challenge down the final stretch; replacing the injured Anthony Brown on the boundary.