Matt Johnson might be the biggest contributor in 2013 because of the open opportunity at the free safety position. Johnson hurt his hamstring early in 2012, but remained on the active roster for the majority of the year. The team thought he might be ready to contribute if they had made a deep run in the playoffs.

Johnson was a fourth round pick out of Eastern Washington who the Cowboys fell in love with during the draft process. The team believes Johnson can be the deep center fielder they’ve been lacking for some time. Matt Johnson possess the range to flow from sideline to sideline in Monte Kiffin’s defense.

What I like about Matt Johnson is his work ethic and how that translates to the field. He, (along with Danny Coale) was praised by former NFL scout Bryan Broaddus as being one of the hardest workers on the team.

Can WR Danny Coale have an impact in 2013?              Spruce Derden-USA TODAY Sports

Danny Coale was personally my favorite draft pick in the 2012 draft and it was a shame that he struggled with injuries all year long. Coale, a fifth round pick out of Virginia Tech has a knack for making big plays in the most important games. Coale can play both outside and inside and also has exceptional hands.

Frank Beamer, Coale’s head coach at Virginia Tech, still believes that Coale will be a successful player in the NFL despite losing his rookie year to injury;

“He’s fast, but you just look at him, you don’t think he is. He sneaks up on you. I think people underestimated his speed sometimes. But he catches the ball. He gets open. And he’s got some toughness to him.”

So how does Coale fit in with the present wide receiving corp?  Dez Bryant, Miles Austin, Terrance Williams, and Dwayne Harris are all locks for the 53 man roster. Danny Coale will compete with Cole Beasley for the fifth WR job. And if Beasley and Coale prove to be too valuable to cut, the team may be forced to keep six wide receivers in 2013.

Linebacker Caleb McSurdy has been the forgotten man of the 2012 draft. McSurdy was drafted in the seventh round last year out of Montana.

McSurdy may have the toughest competition for a spot on the roster.  He will be competing for the final linebacker position with Ernie Sims, Alex Albright, Brandon Magee, DeVonte Holloman, Tank Reed and Cameron Lawrence  Caleb McSurdy was a favorite of Jerry Jones last year, but his season ended early when he tore his achilles in training camp.

McSurdy’s best and perhaps only chance to make the team is on special teams. And fortunately for McSurdy, this happens to be where he excels.

For these three second year players, the 2013 training camp will be absolutely vital for their chance to impact the season. If he can stay healthy, expect Matt Johnson to start at free safety for the Cowboys this year. Danny Coale should also be able to crack the roster as the fifth or sixth wide receiver on the team. With all the new linebackers that the Dallas Cowboys have brought in this off-season, Caleb McSurdy is currently on the outside looking in.

May 4, 2012; Irving, TX, USA; Dallas Cowboys draft picks Caleb McSurdy (56) Morris Claiborne (24) Matt Johnson (37) and Danny Coale (81) walk off the field after rookie mini-camp practice at Dallas Cowboys headquarters. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

We’ve all heard of the sophomore slump. Second year players, who have excelled in their freshman year, have a perceived tendency to hit a wall in their development within their second season. But a lot of Dallas’ sophomore players never even had a chance to hit the field last year. The biggest name on that list is probably safety Matt Johnson. Drafted out of Eastern Washington by the Cowboys in the fourth round of the 2012 NFL Draft, Johnson missed his entire rookie season with a hamstring injury. Now he has been penciled in as the starter next to safety Barry Church.

Another name on that unseen, unknown list is wideout Danny Coale. His future prospects with the Cowboys are a little more blurry then Johnson. The fifth round pick out of Virginia Tech suffered a stress fracture in his foot that caused him to be cut before the season started. He was then placed on the Cowboys practice squad and suffered an ACL injury in November, never seeing the field. Dallas selected wideout Terrance Williams in this year’s draft, creating a bottleneck at the receiver position. Coale’s chances of making the team will now solely rely on his play through training camp.

Last on this list is inside linebacker Caleb McSurdy. The seventh round pick out of Montana tore his Achilles tendon in training camp and never even sniffed the regular season. Major question marks surround him, especially since the Cowboys defense has now switched schemes to a 4-3 style.

The Cowboys have bigger named sophomore players like Morris Claiborne, Tyrone Crawford and James Hanna who are sure to have an impact on the 2013 season. But could one of these unseen, unknown players come out of literally nowhere to have the biggest breakout year? Tell us what you think by voting in our poll below.

His speed is more lateral than straight line so he will be able to cover most tight ends in the league and the short to intermediate portion of the field.  In his college career, he totaled seven interceptions.  He has good attack speed to get to the offensive back field as well and did post some impressive numbers in terms of tackles for loss.  Holloman plays with a quick, aggressive style and relies on his abilities to process his read and react skills to make plays.

October 13, 2012; Baton Rouge, LA, USA; LSU Tigers running back Spencer Ware (11) runs past South Carolina Gamecocks linebacker DeVonte Holloman (21) during the first half of a game at Tiger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

Unfortunately, his biggest weakness seems to come in his tackling technique.  He does not often wrap up and finish tackles, preferring more to deliver a big blow than finish the play out properly.  There are times when he appears to be lunging or off balance when he takes on the opposition.  This should be something that can be coached up, however as he is physical and sheds blockers well with his hands and arms.

As a sixth round pick, this is the right spot for him.  He does not make enough plays to warrant a 3rd or 4th round grade, but is solid enough to be drafted anywhere in the 5th or 6th round and not be considered a reach.  He will probably be solely used in special teams situations as he acclimates to the pro game but could push guys like Kyle Wilber, Alex Albright and Caleb McSurdy for time in the rotation with Sean Lee and Bruce Carter.

Holloman also has some off-the-field issues. He was arrested for D.U.I. in 2011 and suspended by his university for the first two games of his final season.