Cowboys Country

2 Cowboys get acknowledged for elite performances during down season

Find out which Cowboys players have been recognized as among the league's best.

Ali Jawad

Eric Hartline-Imagn Images
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Elite individual performances should not be diminished by the team's overall losing record.

Two Dallas Cowboys standouts, offensive lineman Tyler Smith and return specialist KaVontae Turpin, have been recognized for their exceptional performances in 2024 by being named to the Next Gen Stats 2024 All-Pro team.

Smith, a former first-round pick in 2022, solidified his position as one of the league's top young guards.

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Among left guards with a significant number of pass-blocking snaps, Smith boasted an incredibly low pressure rate, surrendering pressure on only 4.0% of his pass-blocking attempts.

His dominance was particularly evident in one-on-one situations, where he allowed a league-best 3.6% pressure rate. Remarkably, across 363 isolated pass-blocking reps, Smith did not concede a single sack throughout the entire season.

Meanwhile, Turpin the former Spring league standout, electrified the league with his dynamic kick return abilities. He led the NFL in kick return yards, recording an impressive 904 yards.

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This total was significantly boosted by his league-leading 292 kick return yards over expected, the highest mark for any player in the past six seasons, surpassing Keisean Nixon's 214 yards in 2022.

The two-time Pro Bowler ignited the league with his jaw-dropping 99-yard kickoff return, propelling the Cowboys to a thrilling 34-26 upset victory over the Washington Commanders in Week 12.

Turpin's exceptional speed was a key factor in his success. He reached a top speed of 21.85 mph on a 69-yard return in Week 17, the fastest top speed on a kick return since 2020. Unfortunately for the Cowboys, this play was negated due to a holding penalty.

Despite this, Turpin achieved a top speed of 21 mph or more on three separate returns, the most by any player in a single season within the Next Gen Stats era (since 2016).

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Ali Jawad
ALI JAWAD

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