If you're a Dallas Cowboys fan, there's a good chance you're buying into all of the positivity and hype you can find right now. Specifically in reference to the defensive side of the ball, there is a completely different culture and standard being set in Dallas.
With the influx of talent and youth on that side of the ball, combined with the arrival of Christian Parker, this team has reason to be hopeful. For one undrafted rookie, hope is exactly where the conversation begins as he heads into his first training camp.
Former Vanderbilt team captain and linebacker Langston Patterson finds himself in a room with an abundance of notable names. He's going to have quite the battle ahead of him if he's going to make this roster, but it begins with what he does best.
Langston Patterson's excellence in 1 key area is the launchpad for a Cowboys roster spot
Coming out of college, Patterson was viewed as one of those old-school type of linebackers. He is not a coverage linebacker, but brings the toughness, competitive edge and an elite skill set against the run.
It just so happens that defending the run is a hot button for Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, as we have all come to know good and well.
Micah Parsons learned that the hard way, but, I digress.
Last year with the Commodores, Patterson finished with a rare and impressive 90.1 Pro Football Focus grade against the run. In fact, out of the entire season, he only finished one game with a negative grade in this area.
At 6-foot-1 and 235 pounds, Patterson is definitely undersized. But he gives the Cowboys something they desperately need, and that's elite run defense. Dallas finished as a bottom-10 run defending team last year, which is actually a little higher than they finished against the pass.
But that's another conversation entirely.
Patterson has his work cut out for him as he looks to compete for a roster spot. As many Cowboys fans already know, the linebacker room was poured into this offseason. Whether we're talking about an outside linebacker/pass rusher or an inside type, Dallas added a total of seven linebackers.
As potentially one of the final linebackers on this roster, Patterson's main competition is going to come from former San Francisco 49ers veteran Curtis Robinson, special teamer Justin Barron, converted defensive lineman Sam Williams and 2025 fifth-round pick James Houston.
Tyrus Wheat and Charles Snowden are hanging around as well, but Patterson should have no problem beating those two out.
In the end, I think the clearest route for Patterson to make this team is going to be taking out Barron, who played 30 special teams snaps last year, and Robinson, who was also a special teamer in San Francisco.
Over his three years as a starter at Vanderbilt, Patterson compiled 221 tackles, 14.5 tackles for a loss, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, two pass breakups and a sack.
It will not be an easy task, but Patterson is the type of hard-nosed youngster this defense and special teams unit could be looking for.
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