Could Cowboys Find Players From USFL?

In the “Countdown” series, you listed Tony Hill as an underappreciated wide receiver. I agree with that assessment. Can you think of any other Dallas Cowboys historically or with the current team who are underappreciated? – MARTY MONFORTE / ENDICOTT, NY

Nick: I’ll say this not because he’s one of my favorite all-time players, but Darren Woodson really needs to be in the Hall of Fame. He was someone who could’ve easily played – and starred – in any decade. Now he might have played linebacker in some eras, and maybe even cornerback as well, but Darren Woodson would’ve been great at any point. He was one of the best defenders on a dynasty team and for that, I just think he needs to be in the Hall of Fame. So I don’t think he’s appreciated enough. I think Nate Newton, Everson Walls and even Tony Romo didn’t get the credit they deserve, and I’d like to see them all in the Ring of Honor one day. On this team, I don’t think we appreciate how good of a special teams player C.J. Goodwin is. This guy is really impactful because of his speed and knowledge of the game. I’d like to see him make a Pro Bowl this year for special team.

Kyle: With a franchise that historically has had so much success, there are several names that could be on the ‘underappreciated’ list. And just for context, I’m categorizing names that aren’t in the Hall of Fame or the Ring of Honor. I’ll start in the past where I think Danny White and the way he replaced Roger Staubach could be better recognized in the team’s history. Other names like Nate Newton, Dan Nguyen, Sean Lee, Tony Romo, and Jim Jeffcoat are all up there. And I’m sure there’s plenty more that I missed. As for the current roster, the first name I thought of was Zack Martin. Not to say Martin doesn’t get any credit, but as good as he’s been throughout his career, he could be appreciated more in the present. He won’t be dominant forever, but it’s easy for it to seem that way.

Do the Cowboys scouts keep an eye on the USFL games to see…