One Dallas Cowboys Rookie With Best Chance to Surprise Everyone

Devin Moore could prove to be a steal for the Cowboys, if he stays healthy.

Dallas Cowboys cornerback Devin Moore goes through a drill during practice at the Ford Center at the Star Training Facility. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Dallas Cowboys were dead last in pass defense last season, surrendering a league-worst 4,276 yards through the air. In an effort to fix this glaring weakness, they hired a new defensive coordinator who has expertise in coaching in the secondary. Christian Parker spent the past couple of seasons working with the Philadelphia Eagles, where he was most recently their passing game coordinator and defensive backs coach.

Dallas then revamped the secondary, giving Parker more weapons to work with. That includes free agent signings Jalen Thompson at safety and Cobie Durant at cornerback. With their first of two picks in Round 1 of the NFL draft, they also brought in Ohio State's Caleb Downs, who is listed as a safety, but will also play the nickel.

Big things are expected of Downs, which is also true for the other first-round pick in Dallas, Malachi Lawrence. The UCF defensive end is expected to be a big part of the team's pass rush rotation, working behind Rashan Gary and second-year EDGE Donovan Ezeiruaku.

One rookie who hasn't got nearly as much attention, but could stand out during training camp, is fourth-round pick Devin Moore out of Florida. Listed at 6-foot-3 and 198 pounds, Moore has the makings of a boundary corner who can go up against the biggest wide receivers in the game. He's also been doing a good job learning the new defensive scheme, and I even wrote recently about how there's a belief that he could push for a starting job early in his career.

Injuries have been Devin Moore's biggest enemy

Dallas Cowboys cornerback Devin Moore goes through a drill during practice at the Ford Center. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Moore has all of the intangibles to be a starter, and is full of confidence. He stood out continually for the Gators, but there was always one major issue. Moore struggled to stay healthy, playing in just 30 games during four seasons with Florida.

Shoulder injuries, a back injury, and a concussion kept him out of games throughout his career. During his final season in Gainesville, Moore had groin surgery which sent him to the NFL with questions about his durability.

To his credit, Moore hasn't shied away from the injuries that have held him back. Instead, he said that he's going to use his past as fuel, entering the NFL with a chip on his shoulder. He also said he plans to get into the ear of veteran players to learn how they do things to prepare themselves for the NFL season. Should Moore find a way to stay healthy, there's no denying that he could be one of the biggest steals in this year's draft.

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