Draft snub is going to drive TCU’s Darius Anderson as he joins Dallas Cowboys
Darius Anderson is still confused days later. He has no idea why he went undrafted in the 2020 NFL Draft.
This is a guy who was a home run threat throughout his college career, including a record-setting 93-yard TD run against Ohio State in 2018. This is a guy who seemingly had a solid Senior Bowl showing, including a 75-yard TD reception on a wheel route.
“I will be surprised the rest of my life,” Anderson said. “It’ll never make sense to me.”
Anderson paused briefly and repeated: “It’ll never make sense.”
Anderson didn’t have to wait long to find a landing spot, though, with a number of teams showing interest. He opted to sign with the Dallas Cowboys, receiving $110,000 guaranteed ($10,000 signing bonus and $100,000 of his base salary).
The Cowboys are getting a player with “the biggest chip on his shoulder imaginable,” Anderson said, following his draft snub. He’s ready to prove that he belongs in the NFL and was worthy of being one of the 255 players taken.
“I’m going to come in ready to compete,” said Anderson, who had 2,418 yards rushing and 18 touchdowns in his college career.
“I love competing. I’m not scared of competition. That’s what fuels me. I’m looking forward to it.”
Anderson is excited to join a backfield that features one of the NFL’s top running backs, Ezekiel Elliott, and a solid backup in Tony Pollard. He’s also gotten along well with Cowboys running backs coach Skip Peete early on.
Anderson knows he’ll have a chance to make the roster as a third running back and special teams contributor.
“I’m ready to take in all the knowledge I can,” Anderson said, “and be the best I can be.”
For Anderson, that starts with showcasing his abilities with the ball in his hand. He ran a disappointing 4.61-second 40-yard dash at the combine, something that likely hurt his draft stock, but this is a guy who had a number of long runs in college.
Along with the big plays against Ohio State and at the Senior Bowl, Anderson had a 70-yard TD run against Texas in 2016 and a 77-yard run against SMU last season. There’s a reason he’s nicknamed “Jet.”
In the end, Anderson is thankful for the opportunity with the Cowboys. A benefit of going undrafted is being able to choose which roster a player feels he has the best opportunity to make. For Anderson, it’s the Cowboys.
“My family has always been huge Dallas Cowboys fans, so it is a dream come true,” Anderson said. “I’m ready to go there and give it my all. Whatever it takes to help my teammates get better. I’m going to try and be a leader and work hard on and off the field.”
This story was originally published May 2, 2020 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Draft snub is going to drive TCU’s Darius Anderson as he joins Dallas Cowboys."
