Can Brandon Aubrey Kick From 60? New Cowboys VIDEO
FRISCO - Good news ... the Dallas Cowboys' newest kicker Brandon Aubrey regularly hits 60-yard field goals, as seen on his Instagram account.
More good news ... As kicking points leader in the USFL, Aubrey also showed off his ability to stay clutch under pressure throughout his two seasons ... Highlighted by a game-winning field goal to lead the Birmingham Stallions to an 8-0 record, clinching the Southern Division title and a No. 1 seed.
The Stallions and Aubrey are two-time USFL champions. Now, he's the newest Dallas Cowboy. How did he get there?
After he starred at Notre Dame and played in the MLS, Aubrey went to the Stallions and this season made 14 of 15 field goals and all 35 PATs. Before that, Aubrey, 28, was a soccer star at Plano High School, located only 10 minutes away from Cowboys HQ at The Star in Frisco.
Our Mike Fisher of CowboysSI.com reports that Cowboys special-teams coordinator "Bones'' Fassel made multiple trips to USFL games to watch and scout in person Aubrey and that other candidates. Fish also notes that the Birmingham special-teams coordinator is Chris Boniol, the Cowboys' Super Bowl-winning kicker in the 90's. ... and that Boniol played a key role in Aubrey's fast development.
At 6-foot-3, 200-pounds, Aubrey will compete with Tristan Vizcaino for the high-profile, high-pressure job as a Dallas Cowboys kicker. Neither guy has much in-game experience: Vizcaino has 12 field-goal attempts in the NFL and Aubrey has been a football player for only two years.
It's one of the biggest competitions at Cowboys training camp in Oxnard, as Dallas did not re-sign last year's kicker Brett Maher. Maher totaled a franchise-record 137 points but struggled in the playoffs by missing five point-after attempts.
Dallas hopes filling the only "hole" on their roster will help them as legitimate Super Bowl contenders. Dallas' Super Bowl odds are the sixth-best but are chasing NFC East Division foe Philadelphia Eagles. The Eagles are reigning NFC East Division champions but the division hasn't had a repeat champion in 17 seasons.
Last summer the Cowboys fared well with their USFL signee, as KaVontae Turpin made the Pro Bowl as the NFC's best kick returner. TCU. Turpin was named MVP of the USFL before signing with the Cowboys early in camp.
Striking special-teams gold twice with the USFL would certainly help the Cowboys move the needle vs. the competition in the NFC. But first comes the competition at training camp between the two kicking prospects.
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