Cowboys Rookie DaRon Bland: 'Chip on My Shoulder' - NFL Draft Steal?
Dallas Cowboys rookie DaRon Bland is making giant strides for coordinator Dan Quinn's defensive unit. ... all while wearing a "chip on his shoulder.''
Taken in the fifth round of the 2022 NFL Draft, the former Fresno State defender, even though he showed out at camp in Oxnard, has had to bide his time.
After not seeing any action for the first three games, Bland played 80 percent of the defensive snaps against the Washington Commanders in Week 4. Over the last month, the rookie has seen more game time, and on Sunday night against the Colts, Bland snagged two interceptions in a record-breaking fourth quarter for Dallas as he played his highest number of snaps for the season.
Scoring 33 unanswered points to eventually win 54-19 was unlike anything many had seen, and for Bland, he has the perfect motivation to continue his rapid rise.
"There's always going to be a chip on my shoulder coming in as a fifth-round pick," he said. "I feel like I could've [gone higher], but it is what it is."
That chip on his shoulder has worked wonders, and now with the Cowboys' secondary reeling due to the injuries to Anthony Brown and Jourdan Lewis, Bland and other youngsters will be in the spotlight today against the visiting Houston Texans and beyond.
And should Bland be called upon by Quinn, the rookie is more than ready for the opportunity.
"As soon as Jourdan Lewis went down, I knew what kind of role I had to come in and fill — helping to be a leader for our defense," said Bland. "That's one thing I had to focus on as a rookie, just having that mindset that I'm not a rookie anymore. I have to be a vet."
That kind of mentality will serve him well, and with other stars in Trevon Diggs and Micah Parsons to learn from, Dallas could have found another diamond in the rough.
"I can't tell you [what my potential is] because I'm not looking that far down the road," Bland said. "I'm just looking at the next game."
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