Cowboys countdown to kickoff: #18 Jalen Tolbert

We’re continuing our countdown to the opening game of the Dallas Cowboys 2023 regular season. Each day we’ll present a new player whose jersey number represents the countdown to opening day. Today is number 18.

WR Jalen Tolbert
Born: 27th February 1999 (24) - Mobile, Alabama
College: South Alabama Jaguars
Draft: 2022, Round 3, Pick 88, Dallas Cowboys

2022 Stats:
Total Snaps: 142
Offensive Snaps: 89
Targets: 3
Receptions: 2
Receiving Yards: 12
Yards Per Reception: 6
First Downs: 0
Touchdowns: 0
Penalties: 1

College:
Jalen Tolbert joined South Alabama in 2017 and redshirted his first year due to a knee injury he sustained in the offseason. In 2019, Tolbert played in all 12 games and had 27 receptions for 521 yards and six touchdowns.

In his junior year, Tolbert took the next step. He played 11 games for the Jaguars and had 64 receptions for 1,085 yards and scored eight touchdowns, all of which were school records. He was named first-team All-Sun Belt Conference due to his performance.

The next season he reset his own school records with 82 receptions for 1,474 receiving yards and eight touchdowns. He also set a single game school record with 252 receiving yards on ten receptions with three touchdowns against Arkansas State. He was named first-team All-Sun Belt Conference and was also named conference Offensive Player of the Year.

Cowboys Review:
Last year a lot of expectations were put on Tolbert, and with that came the pressure to perform. Whether it was pressure or a lack of preparation, Tolbert clearly struggled last year. He failed to come to grips with the playbook and then when given the chance to play he failed to even line up correctly and got flagged in a crucial moment. It looked as though the development curve for Tolbert was extremely steep and the worry became how much improvement he would make this season to help on offense.

2023 Roster Projection:
Tolbert left last season with so many unanswered questions and concerns that it was safe to say the only way would be up for him this year. Well that couldn’t be more true as Tolbert came into camp and completely annihilated the competition and answered a lot of questions. He’s been the highlight player during both preseason games, and those highlights have even been mentioned on national media.

Can Tolbert do that in the regular season and stay consistent? A lot of media staff in Dallas and here on Blogging The Boys hyped Tolbert during the offseason, and what we’ve all seen so far has been impressive. Is Tolbert ready for a breakout season? Looks like we’re about to find out.

2023 Projected Stats:
Snaps: 315
Receptions: 23
Receiving Yards: 255
Touchdowns: 3

The Big Question:
Where will Jalen Tolbert rank among Cowboys wide receivers by the end of the season? Answer in the comments.