Newest Cowboys DE makes huge impression as 'last man on field' after practice

The Dallas Cowboys signed defensive end James Houston just before the start of training camp, and he's already making a strong impression in Oxnard.

Detroit Lions linebacker James Houston laughs while talking to a teammate on the bench during pre-game warmups | Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images

The Dallas Cowboys brought in some defensive end reinforcements before the start of training camp in Oxnard, California, with three players working out for the team. When it was all said and done, former Detroit Lions EDGE James Houston was the man who got the deal.

Houston was a sixth-round pick of the Lions in the 2022 NFL Draft, and had a brief stint with the Cleveland Browns last season.

Now, he's gearing up for 2025 fighting for a spot on the Cowboys roster.

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While Houston is battling at a position that has a ton of depth in Dallas, he's making a strong impression on the coaching staff just days into his tenure with the team. On Thursday, Houston was the last man on the field after practice, going through drills on his own.

Last one on the field working today: James Houston pic.twitter.com/zpMOJv1qeT

— Nick Harris (@NickHarrisFWST) July 24, 2025

That is how you stand out.

And with a coach like Brian Schottenheimer, who preaches hard work and work ethic, this is the type of effort that will not go unnoticed.

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Houston has an interesting connection to the Cowboys organization. He played at Jackson State under Deion Sanders and was the first Coach Prime player to ever be drafted into the NFL.

When Houston was at Jackson State, he pitched himself as a linebacker, but Coach Prime saw something more. He convinced Houston to move to defensive end, and the rest was history. In his lone season at Jackson State, Houston recorded a 16.5-sack season and earned an NFL career.

Detroit Lions’ James Houston IV held a youth football camp at Jackson State University. | Lauren Witte/Clarion Ledger / USA TODAY NETWORK

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