Cowboys UDFAs with best chance of making 53-man roster

The NFL Draft is always a major event but the excitement continues even after it ends. As Dallas Cowboys fans know well, there are always hidden gems to find in free agents who didn't hear their names called.

Dallas has found some of their greatest players this way, including Tony Romo, Drew Pearson, Cliff Harris, and Nate Newton. Of course, striking gold like that isn't going to happen every season but it's still worth seeing which players are capable of making it in the pros.

Here, we look at the 2024 class of UDFAs and identify which ones have the best shot of making the 53-man roster this year.

Denzel Daxon, DT, Illinois

In 2023, the Cowboys used a first-round pick on a run-stuffing nose tackle — then tried to turn him into a pass-rusher. That should be the first fix for new defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer, who would benefit from allowing Mazi Smith to do what he does best.

While they hope for the best with Smith, the Cowboys also protected themselves by selecting another massive run-stuffer in 2024. This time, it was Justin Rogers who they added with a seventh-round pick.

Standing 6-3 and 330 pounds, Rogers spent time at Kentucky and Auburn and held his own against the best in the country. He should be able to lock up his spot but there will be competition from an undrafted free agent in Denzel Daxon from Illinois.

Often overshadowed by Jer'Zhan Newton and Keith Randolph Jr., but is more than capable of shutting down the run game. Daxon, listed at 6-2 and 335 pounds, didn't see the field much in three years at Ohio but then had 27 tackles for the Fighting Illini this year. He's still raw but there's a chance he can work his way onto the roster.