Cowboys WR KaVontae Turpin 'Ain't Going To Let Nobody Down'
FRISCO - There are occasionally "feel-good" stories that come out of NFL camps, and the 2022 Dallas Cowboys training camp can now be included.
His talent has never been questioned, going back to his days at TCU. Turpin recorded six return touchdowns, averaging 14.3 yards per punt return and 28 yards per kickoff return.
He should've been drafted by somebody, right? What initially kept Turpin out of the NFL was his release from the TCU program in 2018, literally hours after he registered a 99-yard kickoff return and a 41-yard touchdown reception. The release came after his arrest for battery and assault against his girlfriend. Six months later, he plead guilty to a misdemeanor assault charge for actions against the same woman.
In 2019, Turpins was given two years deferred adjudication probation and had to complete a 27-week abuse intervention program.
With the NFL passing on him, he played in the Spring League, Fan Controlled League, American football in Europe, and of course, the USFL, where he was named League MVP.
Now, Turpin is getting the opportunity he previously missed out on. What's changed? A fellow TCU alum says the 26-year-old Turpin is a changed man.
During an interview with the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, former TCU and NFL running back LaDanian Tomlinson said Turpin is much more mature.
Tomlinson saw Turpin as a player that could show flashes of brilliance on the field, while also getting caught up in all the wrong things.
Tomlinson covered the Cowboys for NFL Network and noted a change in Turpin from his college days. “I could see it in his face. He was so thankful. He was humble. He said I got this opportunity and I ain’t going to let nobody down," Tomlinson noted. “The talent is undeniable. He is not a big guy. But he is as quick as a mosquito. Once he is upfield, it’s goodbye. But it’s also his attitude. He is a small guy but his attitude is as a big man. He will try to run over as well as run by you.
"What I want to see now is which guys on the team he gravitates to stay focused and on straight and narrow.”
Of course, nothing can discount Turpin's past mistakes, but his ability to grow and learn from his past makes him a good fit for the NFL now.
And kind words from a former TCU legend and NFL Hall of Famer don't hurt either.
You can follow Timm Hamm on Twitter at @IndyCarTim
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