Dallas Cowboys: Is Damien Wilson an elite coverage linebacker?

Despite playing only 283 defensive snaps last season, Pro Football Focus names Dallas Cowboys’ Damien Wilson as one of the NFL’s elite coverage linebackers.

While all the focus on second-year linebacker Jaylon Smith this offseason due to his draft status and recovery from a devastating knee injury, hidden gems on the depth chart can get easily lost in the media haze. One of those sleepers appears to be linebacker Damien Wilson.

The former fourth round selection out of Minnesota is entering third season in Dallas. And despite playing just 283 defensive snaps in 2016, Pro Football Focus has named him one the league’s elite coverage linebackers.

According to the analytic website, opposing quarterbacks posted a 67.5 rating when targeting receivers that Wilson was covering in 2016. That stat ranked the 24-year old in the top three among qualifying linebackers in the NFL.

Last season, Wilson started in six of his 16 played games for Dallas. He recorded 34 total tackles and a pass defend in 2016. Not exactly “elite” linebacker numbers. But maybe the bigger takeaway Cowboys fans can learn from this analytic is the fact Wilson has the potential to become elite.

Cowboys’ linebackers coach Matt Eberflus indicates Wilson is still learning the intricacies of the position, as Dallas’ coaching staff has put a lot on his plate to consume.

"“[Wilson’s] really made some leaps and bounds in terms of where he is – mentally where he is – in terms of learning all the positions,” Eberflus told DallasCowboys.com. “If you’re not in the No. 1 or No. 2 linebacker spot, you’re the starting SAM, you’re going to have to learn multiple spots, just to cover ourselves. He’s done a great job with that.”"

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Unfortunately for Damien Wilson, the linebacker position in Dallas is pretty stacked at the moment. With players like Sean Lee, Jaylon Smith and Anthony Hitchens presumably ahead of him on the depth chart, the young linebacker may have to wait another a year or two to prove he’s really worthy of the title “elite”.