3 Cowboys on the cusp of their first Pro Bowl in 2023
By Reid Hanson
Osa Odighizuwa, DT
Osa Odighizuwa benefits from a few things in Dallas this season:
1. His position group
2. The talent around him on the defensive line
3. His own progression as a player
Odighizuwa enters the 2023 season as the only true 3-technique tackle on the roster. DTs like Johnathan Hankins and Mazi Smith are seen as 1-techs, Chauncey Golston and the rookie Viliami Fehoko appear to be a mixture of DE and DT, and even in his fourth season no one’s quite sure what they have in the slow-developing Neville Gallimore.
In his first two seasons with the Cowboys, Odighizuwa logged a hefty 616 snaps both years. Based on the limited options at 3-tech in 2023, opportunities will be there again for Odighizuwa this season as well.
Aiding the third-year DT in his quest for his first Pro Bowl is the talent around him at other defensive positions – namely at EDGE. With All-Pros like Micah Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence commanding double-teams on the outside, one-on-one matchups are all but guaranteed for Odighizuwa.
Finally, there’s Odighizuwa’s own maturation to consider. The 6-foot-2, 280-pound DT from UCLA was an impact player from the start in Dallas. He’s progressed each season he’s played in the NFL and his trajectory indicates the 25-year-old is ready to take another step in his development in Year 3.