Dallas Cowboys: Will this undrafted free agent start at left guard?
By Tim Kohut
Did the Dallas Cowboys just find another diamond in the rough prospect in undrafted offensive lineman Dan Skipper out of Arkansas?
With OTAs officially underway, NFL teams are now getting a chance to get an up and close look at their offseason acquisitions, both from the draft and free agency.
The Dallas Cowboys have a few intriguing rookies that they nabbed out of the undrafted free agent pool following the draft, and with their illustrious history of striking gold with such players, it’s vital to keep an eye out for potential difference-makers amongst this year’s crop.
One guy that looks like he can potentially be an impact player is former Arkansas offensive tackle Dan Skipper, who has lined up inside at guard to start OTAs.
What jumps out about Skipper immediately is his size– he’s 6″10′, 309 lbs, and is already the NFL’s tallest player. While players with such length typically line up outside at tackle, the Cowboys’ coaching staff has decided to try him out on the inside, where they may have a potential opening.
La’el Collins has gotten the first crack at Doug Free’s old right tackle spot, and so far, the results have been promising. Former top-ten pick Jonathan Cooper has gotten the lion share of reps at left guard thus far, but the position is still open for competition. Cooper has struggled thus far during his NFL career, and has bounced around on three teams over the past season and a half.
The Cowboys also have veteran Byron Bell, who certainly has the stature to play inside at 6″5′, 340 lbs. But Bell has been a journeymen thus far in his career, and although a solid player, you know what you’re going to get out of him at this point.
Skipper clearly has more upside than the other two veterans fighting for the left guard spot. The problem that causes Skipper to go undrafted is the fact that he’s fighting a rare blood condition. Skipper was a two-time All- SEC player, and a rock at tackle for the Razorbacks. If not for his condition, he would have certainly been selected in this past draft.
His story is somewhat similar to two other recent undrafted free agents for the ‘Boys– the aforementioned Collins and ex-starting left guard Ronald Leary. Collins was a projected first round pick, until he was investigated for the murder of an ex-girlfriend.
Leary’s story is even more similar to Skipper’s, as his free-fall from draft boards was also due to a physical condition. Leary had a degenerative knee issue in his left knee, and scared off teams during the draft. However, Leary turned out to be a solid player for the Cowboys, and earned himself a nice contract in the offseason from the Denver Broncos.
Although we still don’t know how Skipper’s blood condition will affect him in his NFL career going forward, and it is somewhat different from the cases of Leary and Collins, fans should remain hopeful.
Next: Ten free agents who could replace Nolan Carroll in Dallas
Draft guru Will McClay and the rest of the Cowboys’ front office has done a great job at identifying talent outside of the draft, and this year could be no exception. With a left guard spot that’s up for grabs, don’t be surprised if the mammoth offensive lineman makes a surprise case to start going into the 2017-18 NFL season.