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These Mike McCarthy quotes will get you excited about Cowboys’ rookie class

By Lauren Barash

ARLINGTON, TEXAS - OCTOBER 03: Head coach Mike McCarthy of the Dallas Cowboys looks on during the second half against the Carolina Panthers at AT&T Stadium on October 03, 2021 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
ARLINGTON, TEXAS - OCTOBER 03: Head coach Mike McCarthy of the Dallas Cowboys looks on during the second half against the Carolina Panthers at AT&T Stadium on October 03, 2021 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images) /
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The Dallas Cowboys held their 2022 rookie minicamp over the weekend. All nine draftees and 20 undrafted free agents got a chance to head to The Star in Frisco, Texas, to meet the staff, see the other rookies, and get to work on the field. A handful of draftees also signed their rookie contracts on Thursday and Friday.

Although it was still very early and just the beginning for these rookies, several members of the media and Cowboys staff seem impressed with the performances. Head coach Mike McCarthy called the weekend “rookie orientation” because he felt it was half football and have a personal transition into the NFL. The coach gave a lengthy press conference talking through a lot of the new members and how excited he was about their roles on the team.

Here’s what he had to say about the draft class as a whole:

"“I can’t say enough about the whole class and the coaching staff, the time they’ve spent when they were drafted up until their arrival yesterday,” McCarthy said, noting the progress that the incoming rookies made before even arriving in Dallas. He would later add, “They’re excited to be here. The work has been tremendous. So, real excited about the group as a whole, we’re off to a good start.”"

The head coach also mentioned that he felt this group was further ahead of the last two draft classes. Why? The team learned a lot during Covid and was able to give these rookies virtual opportunities to learn and grow beforehand. You can see McCarthy’s full interview in the YouTube video below.

Mike McCarthy shares excitement about Cowboys’ rookies during minicamp

4. McCarthy on Tyler Smith

The first-rounder had quite the weekend. He signed a $13 million contract and got to work with his new team. Most of the work Smith did was at left guard, which is a spot where the Cowboys have a clear void. However, the staff knows that Smith has poistional versatility that they may take advantage of in the future.

Smith hadn’t taken snaps at left guard since high school, but he seemed to feel right at home. He said he surprised himself and felt he rose up to the challenge.

In addition to the feedback from the OL coach, here’s what the head coach had to say:

"“I mean you could see the twitch. That’s something that definitely jumps out at you. I thought he had a really nice day.”"

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