It’s not just the draft picks. The Cowboys’ rookie class will also have 13 undrafted free agents, and while they didn’t have their names read in Kansas City, they’re all talented athletes who are a big step closer to fulfilling their football dreams. In this edition of News and Notes, we introduce you to two of them: the multi-talented fullback who’s already earned a massive payday, and the small-school receiver who one outlet called the most overlooked player in the draft… and why both could turn out to be massive steals.
Of course, we’re still putting the draft itself in perspective. We’ve got deep thoughts that go beyond the selections, we learn why the Cowboys put so much stock in their pre-draft visits, we’re getting to know the team’s final pick of the weekend, and we’re matching prospects to their new jersey numbers. We take a look at five free agents still worth signing, we’re already mocking the 2024 draft, and we’ve got Will McClay’s response to Deion Sanders being “ashamed” by the lack of HBCU draft picks. All that, plus a Cowboys all-time legend will step into a surprising starring role in Canton this summer.
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The North Dakota State star got a $20,000 signing bonus and $180,000 of his base salary guaranteed, with a team source calling him “a Swiss Army knife player.” Luepke caught passes, carried the ball, and even took snaps as the Bison’s “wildcat” quarterback; he rushed for 1,622 yards and 23 touchdowns last year alone.
Last week, The Athletic profiled “the most overlooked player in the draft” while keeping his identity a mystery. On Tuesday, they revealed that it’s the West Florida receiver signed by the Cowboys just after the draft ended. A small-school throwback talent who spent a year in the Red Sox farm system, Durden will now show up to work at The Star… despite never even having heard about the Cowboys’ palatial headquarters before signing. Had he attended a big-time school, he might have been a Top-100 pick; he could end up being the steal of the rookie class.
Coach Prime tweeted he was “ashamed” that 31 teams chose not to draft an HBCU prospect. In response, McClay acknowledged that “good football players come from everywhere,” but said it stops there. “There’s not a conspiracy against drafting HBCU players… I think the players have to have draftable…
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