The thing about lightning in a bottle is, it’s still lightning. It’s awfully hard to predict when it’s going to strike or where it’s going to come from.
Even as the Cowboys assembled in southern California for training camp the last week of July, it seemed, to outside observers, that their 91-man summer roster was set.
And then KaVontae Turpin happened.
After helping his New Jersey Generals team to a 9-1 record, the MVP of the USFL’s comeback season this past spring inked a three-year deal with the team. In just over a week’s time, the 5-foot-9-inch, 158-pound speedster (some outlets list him even smaller) has made a huge impression on coaches.
“I think there’s probably been a lot of proof of a lot of little guys that are really, really good,” special teams coordinator John Fassel told the media this week in Oxnard. “Eric Metcalf- I don’t know his size. Dante Hall- maybe a little bit thicker, but Turp’s probably a little bit quicker. So I think there’s a lot; Tyreek – obviously, he may be a little but thicker. I just know when we practice against the little guys and play against the little guys, they’re really hard to see behind blockers. And then if you can ever see them, it’s really hard to get a clean shot on them. So for those little, quick, fast guys, you’ve got to populate-tackle them, and if you don’t, you don’t ever really get clean shots. I think it’s a little bit overrated- the impact of a little guy taking big body blows- because they just don’t seem to take those. I’m excited to see what he does.”
In fact, “Bones” was so juiced at the prospect of the Cowboys acquiring the former local college star that he offered to cut his family vacation short to help oversee Turpin’s workout with the club.
“I was actually, when we worked him out back in Dallas, I was with my family in Idaho,” Fassel explained, “and I texted Will . I said, ‘Will, if you want me to come back for this workout, I’ll come back.’”
Fassel was told to remain with his family, but his wheels were already turning over a player he was quite familiar with.
“He’s been on my radar since 2018. Clearly at TCU, I watched every single one of his returns, but then keeping an eye on him over the course of his Fan Football league and Spring League and then USFL. I’ve seen all of that work. When we found out he was on our radar, I was very hopeful, and obviously when we signed him, super excited. He’s got a long…
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