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Since January, we've focused almost exclusively on the new talent the Cowboys acquired, first via free agency in March, then via the draft at the start of this month, and most recently via the college free agent signings.
And while it's great fun to contemplate what all these shiny new toys will bring to the Cowboys, it's also easy to lose sight of another great source of talent for the Cowboys in 2015: the guys already on the team.
Which is why today, we're going to ask you to nominate your favorite for Breakout Player for 2015. But before you start typing a response (e.g. "Randy Gregory, Sukkkaahhs!") there are some rules you need to follow. To qualify as a Breakout Player, the following criteria must be met:
• Drafted in the third round or later, or signed as a college free agent
• On the Cowboys roster in 2014
• Entered the NFL between 2012 and 2014
• Fewer than five career games started
• Still on their initial contract
The five criteria outlined above are based on the Football Outsiders Top 25 Prospects list, which they release every year ahead of the season, and in which they nominate the 25 players they think are most likely to have a breakout year. Last year, no Cowboys player made the Top 25, though DeVonte Holloman got an honorable mention, so let's hope our picks turn out a little better this year.
The table below lists all the qualifying players from which you can pick your 2015 Breakout Player for the Dallas Cowboys.The table is split into three categories: Players who have started at least one game, players who have played in at least one game and players who have done neither.
Name | POS | NFL Years | Games | Games Started |
NFL Starting Experience | ||||
Joseph Randle | RB | 2 | 29 | 2 |
Lavar Edwards | DE | 2 | 11 | 1 |
Davon Coleman | DT | 1 | 2 | 1 |
NFL Game Experience | ||||
Cameron Lawrence | LB | 2 | 27 | 0 |
Jack Crawford | DE | 3 | 25 | 0 |
Devin Street | WR | 1 | 16 | 0 |
Tyler Patmon | CB | 1 | 11 | 0 |
Keith Smith | LB | 1 | 10 | 0 |
Ryan Miller | OT | 3 | 8 | 0 |
Ken Bishop | DT | 1 | 3 | 0 |
Keelan Johnson | S | 2 | 2 | 0 |
Robert Steeples | CB | 2 | 2 | 0 |
Kenneth Boatright | DE | 2 | 1 | 0 |
No NFL Experience | ||||
Ben Gardner | DE | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Will Smith | LB | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Chris Boyd | WR | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Reggie Dunn | WR | 2 | 0 | 0 |
Dustin Vaughan | QB | 1 | 0 | 0 |
John Wetzel | OT | 2 | 0 | 0 |
Chris Whaley | DT | 1 | 0 | 0 |
R.J. Dill | OT | 2 | 0 | 0 |
From this list, who do you think could be the 2015 Breakout Player for the Dallas Cowboys?