Dak Prescott to ‘light up’ the NFL, plus more takeaways from Dallas Cowboys’ camp
The only rookie draftee seemingly as excited — or maybe even more excited — to be a member of the Dallas Cowboys than first-round pick Micah Parsons is fifth-round receiver Simi Fehoko.
The Stanford product has truly savored and has relished every moment on social media since being picked by the Cowboys. He asked fans on Twitter for barbecue recommendations and wondered aloud if needed to buy some Cowboy boots.
Fehoko also tweeted a line from former Cowboys receiver Terrell Owens after getting his No. 81 jersey, ‘Get your popcorn ready’ and reached out to Dez Bryant.
But the most significant advice came from Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott on draft night.
“He texted me a couple minutes after I was drafted. Just telling me, ‘Get ready to work,’ and ‘We’re about to go light up the league,’” Fehoko said. “I’ve seen him in the locker room here and there. He’s a cool guy. Down to earth. Super humble. Obviously, he’s a ballplayer, too.”
Prescott, who was leading the league in passing last season before missing the final 11 games with a fractured ankle, is a ballplayer with big baller expectations.
He signed a four-year, $160 million contract in March and there’s no doubt that Prescott will be healthy for the start of the season.
Fehoko and the rest of the rookies will get to work on that lighting up of the rest of the league this week when Prescott and the rest of the team’s veterans arrive.
Highlights from camp
1. It was more of a rookie orientation than a rookie mini camp with just 31 players, and that included two tryout quarterbacks in Brady Smith and J.T. Barrett, who both visibly struggled with running the offense as well as dealing with the wind. McCarthy said the offense takes longer to gel because of cadence, the center exchange and the new quarterbacks. The Cowboys don’t plan to sign either Smith or Barrett.
2. McCarthy was pleased with what he saw from the defense. He said the unit was ahead of the offense, but noted that they had minor mental issues, which is significant considering the confusion and communication errors of a year ago under fired defensive coordinator Mike Nolan.
3. The play of the defense is a testament to new coordinator Dan Quinn and his new schemes. That Quinn will be a more hands-on teacher and communicator was evident throughout the weekend. When he wasn’t giving third-round defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa one-on-one instruction he was quite the sight lining up at nose tackle for a few plays while Quinton Bohanna dealt with a minor shoulder issue.
4. First-round pick Micah Parsons made his presence felt early as he flashed in the run game from his middle linebacker position and also got a sack from right end in a third-down package. They plan on using him to get to the quarterback, but McCarthy said starting him at middle linebacker makes the most sense because he is going to be a big part of the plan on defense and they want him in the middle of the defense. They are designing the packages to best use all of the linebackers including Leighton Vander Esch and Jaylon Smith. Using Parsons as an edge rusher on passing downs is one example.
5. McCarthy was impressed with Parsons and linebacker Jabril Cox, a fourth-round pick from LSU, over the weekend. “Both played with high instinct and awareness,” McCarthy said. “They showed command and confidence. I like the look of those two guys. Those guys are off to a really good start.”
6. Cox flashed with an interception in practice on Saturday and credited the chemistry and communication he has with Parsons. “Micah, he did a good job of carrying the Y receiver over the field and then I just hooked him after he dropped him,” Cox said. “He made a good play on the ball and I just caught the ball. Credit to Micah and the whole defense communicating before the pre snap. It was a pretty good play.”
7. Cox said the coaching staff gave the rookie six rules to abide by and creating turnovers was on the list. So what are the other rules? “Communicate effectively, do things right ... It’s all just the basics of being a Dallas Cowboy, knowing everything is under a microscope and you have to really earn the star to play for Dallas,” Cox said. Added rookie cornerback Nahshon Wright: “Really just exemplify being a Cowboy on the field and off the field. So that’s first and then the football stuff comes.”
8. McCarthy said the Cowboys are still conducting meetings virtually and says the staff is much better teaching virtually than they were last year. They changed styles and techniques in how they teach. “Everybody has had to learn and grow their virtual environment,” he said. “We have done that as a coaching staff.” McCarthy said it was evident in how the rookies performed in mini camp and how much they have learned since the draft.
9. The NFL allows teams to have 10 OTA practices in addition to the mandatory three-day minicamp to conclude the offseason program. The Cowboys have just six scheduled OTA practices. McCarthy said part of the reason for going easy on the OTAs is the longer season lying ahead for the Cowboys. Because they are playing the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Pro Football Hall of Fame game in the preseason opener on Aug. 5, the Cowboys will start training camp a week or two before the rest of the league.
10. While Wright had an interception in Saturday’s practice, cornerback Kelvin Joseph, the second-round pick who is projected to start opposite Trevon Diggs, didn’t get challenged much by the group of receivers at rookie mini camp. But that will change this week when they merge with the veterans and he faces the likes of Amari Cooper, Michael Gallup and CeeDee Lamb. He can’t wait. “I feel like I’m about to go practice against some of the best receivers in the NFL,” Joseph said. “So I’m going to be ready. And they’re going to make sure I’m ready.”
