Advertisement

sportsCowboys

Works in progress: A closer look at Cowboys’ most intriguing developmental projects on offense

‘Project’ being the keyword, which is why you won’t find talented rookies like Micah Parsons and Osa Odighizuwa on the list.

One of the best aspects of following the Dallas Cowboys in the lead-up to the regular season is focusing on the young, developmental talent on the roster that’s being groomed for the future.

In the regular season, most of the energy during the practice week is focused on the opponent. During OTAs, minicamp and training camp, however, the Cowboys get to take a more global view, focusing on acquiring and refining skills.

Mike McCarthy’s coaching staff hasn’t been around long enough to establish a trend in its ability to develop players, but the Cowboys franchise does have some notable development success stories. Players like Anthony Brown and Blake Jarwin were drafted late (Brown, sixth round) or not drafted at all (Jarwin) yet still defied the odds to become starting-caliber players.

Advertisement

With that in mind, we are going to take a look at the most interesting developmental projects in each position group on the Cowboys’ roster. “Project” being the keyword, which is why you won’t find talented rookies like Micah Parsons and Osa Odighizuwa on the list. If a rookie is competing for a starting job in camp, he’s not a project.

Cowboys

Be the smartest Cowboys fan. Get the latest news.

Or with:

Read about defensive works in progress here.

Quarterback: Ben DiNucci

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Ben DiNucci runs a drill during a minicamp practice at The Star...
Dallas Cowboys quarterback Ben DiNucci runs a drill during a minicamp practice at The Star on Tuesday, June 8, 2021, in Frisco. (Smiley N. Pool/The Dallas Morning News)(Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer)
Advertisement

Unfortunately, there’s not much to choose from in the way of intriguing developmental projects at the QB position for the Cowboys. Having said that, if forced to pick one, second-year QB Ben DiNucci is really the only choice.

DiNucci had a rough go as a rookie, as he was tossed into the deep end when he was just getting used to shallow waters. Honestly, you’d be hard-pressed to find anything redeeming from DiNucci’s limited action last year, as he finished with a 67.9 passer rating, a 53.5% completion rate, and just 5.1 yards per attempt.

It also didn’t help that DiNucci was thrust into action during a year where it was harder than ever to develop rookies, as the COVID-19 pandemic forced alterations to training camp, meetings and practice schedules while totally eliminating preseason games, which definitely could have aided his transition from FCS to the NFL.

Advertisement

Speaking of FCS, If you go back to DiNucci’s college tape at James Madison, it does show a QB who has traits that, if developed, could turn him into a viable backup QB. DiNucci worked well out of structure, displaying a Tony Romo-like ability to elude pressure and make positive plays, and showed impressive downfield accuracy and touch, posting the sixth-highest completion rate on passes 20+ yards downfield in 2019 (tied with Jalen Hurts).

More practice time and hands-on coaching in addition to a full preseason slate should give us a better barometer of whether DiNucci is a developmental project worth continuing to invest time into, or if the traits he showed at James Madison were just bolstered by the subpar competition he was constantly facing.

Don’t bet on DiNucci developing into a viable backup QB, but don’t wouldn’t rule it out either.

Running back: Rico Dowdle/Nick Ralston

Stuck behind Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard on the depth chart, Rico Dowdle is largely a forgotten man despite making the Cowboys’ 53-man roster as a UDFA last year. I think a lot of that is due to the absence of preseason games last season, when most fans typically get familiarized with the young, developmental talents such as Dowdle.

Durability concerns and the devaluation of the RB position may have caused Dowdle to go undrafted, but don’t get it twisted, he’s a talented back who I think could capably fill in for Elliott or Pollard if either were to go down to injury.

Advertisement

At South Carolina, Dowdle displayed impressive vision, notable athletic traits and an understated ability to manipulate defenders and set up his blocks to create positive runs. All you need to know is that Dowdle averaged 8.5 yards per carry and finished with 102 rushing yards on 12 carries against the vaunted Alabama defense in 2019.

Dowdle is intriguing because I believe he has the talent to be a starting NFL back in the future; unfortunately, since Dallas already has Pollard and Elliott, I’m not sure whether that will be with the Cowboys.

In addition to Dowdle, undrafted rookie Nick Ralston is also an incredibly intriguing development project. Officially listed as a fullback, Ralston also spent time as a traditional running back and tight end during his college, giving him the type of positional versatility that coaches love on the backend of the 53-man roster.

The Cowboys went most of last season without a fullback on the 53-man roster, as Jamize Olawale opted out of the 2020 season and was then released in March of this year, but Ralston’s presence could cause them to bring it back.

Advertisement

And if the Cowboys did bring the fullback position back after a one-year hiatus, it makes sense that it’d be with someone like Ralston’s skill set, as he can not only be a traditional lead blocker but can also be a pass-catching weapon out of the backfield and can tote the rock capably himself if need be as well.

While it’s unfair to compare him to the best FB in the league, Ralston has traits that, if developed, could enable him to be a sort of Kyle Juszczyk-light in the Cowboys offense. Even if he doesn’t make the 53-man roster this year, Ralston is the type of player who the Cowboys would definitely want to stick to the practice squad, as he has the ability to develop into a capable contributor in the future.

Wide receiver: Simi Fehoko

The Cowboys have numerous intriguing developmental projects at the WR position, including undrafted rookies TJ Vasher, Brennan Eagles and Brandon Smith in addition to youngsters like Aaron Parker and Malik Turner.

Advertisement

Nonetheless, there’s no more intriguing developmental project at receiver than fifth-round pick Simi Fehoko. At 6-foot-3 and 222 pounds with a 4.44 40, Fehoko is a ball of clay that can be molded into a starting caliber receiver in the future.

Fehoko has yet to master the finer details of receiver, so at Stanford, he was forced to win with his natural size, high-end athleticism and effort. Therefore, it makes sense that Fehoko found most of his success on go routes and shallow crossers, which enable him to leverage his speed to create separation rather than precise route-running.

If the Cowboys are able to develop Fehoko to a point where he can pair his size and field-stretching athleticism with evolved route-running, then it would enable him to attack defenses at every level (short, intermediate and deep), turning him into a real problem for opposing defenses.

Advertisement

The Cowboys are staring right into the eyes of a diamond in the rough, they just need to make sure to polish it correctly so its underlying beauty can shine through.

Tight end: Sean McKeon

Dallas Cowboys tight end Sean McKeon (84) prepares to catch a pass on a play during training...
Dallas Cowboys tight end Sean McKeon (84) prepares to catch a pass on a play during training camp at the Dallas Cowboys headquarters at The Star in Frisco, Texas on Friday, August 28, 2020. (Vernon Bryant/The Dallas Morning News)(Vernon Bryant / Staff Photographer)

While both undrafted tight ends — Nick Eubanks and Artayvious Lynn (but mostly Eubanks) — are intriguing in their own right, the most intriguing developmental project at tight end for the Cowboys is last year’s undrafted tight end — Sean McKeon.

Advertisement

Now, I do think McKeon’s ceiling is limited, and even if his developmental goes swimmingly, I doubt he’s ever able to be a starting-caliber tight end; however, I do believe he has what it takes to be a very capable No. 2, who can do the dirty work in the running game and be a reliable pass-catcher in the short-to-intermediate portion of the field. He just needs to make to keep continue to get stronger so that he can continue to improve in the running game while learning the nuances of route-running from the tight end position.

Moreover, I think McKeon has some similar traits to Ralston in that he can align in the backfield and fulfill some FB duties on occasion (though he’s definitely not a option to carry the ball unlike Ralston).

With Dalton Schultz scheduled to become a free agent after this season, McKeon’s development is an underrated storyline worth monitoring, as he may be thrust into a No. 2 tight end role next season if the Cowboys can’t re-sign Schultz.

Advertisement

Offensive line: Josh Ball

While some may have put Connor McGovern here, I don’t think a third-year third-round pick fits the criteria of a developmental project, but do you know who does?

Fourth-round rookie offensive tackle Josh Ball, who the team likely hopes will develop into a high-end swing tackle who could potentially take over for La’el Collins or Tyron Smith when one of their Cowboys careers comes to an end.

Advertisement

On the football field, there’s a lot to be intrigued with in regards to Ball. At 6-foot-7 and 308 pounds with 35-inch arms, Ball possesses the ideal frame to play at tackle in the NFL in addition to notable athletic traits. While Ball needs to clean up the timing and placement of his hands, they are extremely powerful and often knock rushers off their track upon contact.

It’s going to be interesting to see how Ball’s current skill set translates to the NFL. I could see him struggling early during training camp or even most of his rookie year given the voids in his skill set. However, the foundation Ball has built should enable him to progress steadily over the next couple years as he becomes more of a finished product.

For a team whose success has waxed and waned with the health of its two prized offensive tackle, monitoring Ball’s progress over the next couple years will be very important.

Want more film rooms? Click here.

Advertisement

Read about defensive works in progress here.

Find more Cowboys coverage from The Dallas Morning News here.