Dallas Cowboys may get production in 2023 from two late-round picks

As minicamp has come to a close, the Dallas Cowboys and their players will head into a quiet period and will not resurface again as a team until late July in Oxnard, CA. In the meantime, we can take a look at the OTA and minicamp work to try and get a sense of some of the team.

We are all aware of the moves the Cowboys made via trades and veteran acquisitions, but where the Cowboys have put their most stock in is in the draft. Much of their talent is found there and that's how they like to operate. Picks like Mazi Smith and Luke Schoonmaker are looking to make immediate impacts as early-round draft picks, but the Cowboys have their eye on a couple of late-round guys, too. There have been positive reports around their presence and they may be eyeing opportunities come September, and both picks came on day three.

We are talking about cornerback Eric Scott Jr. and fan favorite running back Deuce Vaughn. We have heard a lot of excitement regarding Vaughn since the great story involving him and his father as he became a member of the team on night three of the draft. But it is not just the story people like, and many truly believe with his unique ability he can come in and have an immediate impact in a multitude of ways.

Early on, Vaughn, at the very least, can be seen as a special teams weapon and offensive gadget guy. Someone who can line up in the backfield, or out wide and come in motion for jet sweeps and other screen design plays to get the ball to him quickly in space. His small stature and agility are unique to an otherwise brute-like sport.

Expectations are unusually hype for his draft position, and while it is always a safe practice to temper those with draft picks, the feeling around Deuce Vaughn feels different. It will be up to Mike McCarthy and the rest of the offensive staff to find the right way to make the most of Vaughn and his unique abilities.

Probably the most surprising story of the minicamp so far is the overwhelmingly positive response to Vaughn’s day three teammate who was taken a bit earlier than him, and needed a trade to do so, and that is Eric Scott Jr. The young cornerback has been getting praised by McCarthy and company for his ability and has impressed the team enough to earn some intriguing first-team reps during the offseason program work.

Now we understand there is a massive hill to climb for Scott to come in here and be a consistent contributor, but for a late-round pick at a deep position on a good football team, this start to his career probably could not have been scripted any better. Scott is going to put a lot of pressure on guys like Kelvin Joseph and Nashon Wright and if his trajectory stays on this upward path, Scott could find himself in the mix sooner rather than later.

The likelihood of both these guys panning out is a tall task, even one being a consistent contributor would be considered outstanding work by the front office, but you cannot deny what they have been able to do so far in years past. Fast forward to now, these two players simply catching the eye of the right people and making the most of the little time they have had so far in their NFL careers is a positive to build on. If nothing else, the Cowboys have some intriguing prospects to mold with the real chance to look like draft geniuses once again if it all works out.