The Cowboys Training Camp Pet Cats of recent history

[Bobhaze]

I'm going to toss a curve ball into the discussion and say Tavon Austin.

I distinctly remember Stephen Jones telling the media that he was going to assume a "web back" role and possibly even touch the ball 20 times a game. I wouldn't necessarily say he was hyped by the media and Cowboys fans, but Stephen was really selling Tavon Austin stock for a few weeks a couple of years ago.

Good example of the hype we get served this time of year. The Jones boys are good salesman- hell they could sell sand in the desert. I just wish they sold less and delivered more.

 

[MarcusRock]

How about our next great return man or the guy to beat out Scandrick, Akwasi Owusu-Ansah. AOA, to the layperson, lol.

 

[HellCrowe]

So many swore we would rue the day Rico Gathers goes to another team.

 

[JonesBoys]

At the beginning of every training camp, Cowboys fans who are starved for some real football, are served a steady diet of full on hype about some “training camp stars” who probably will never amount to much. It’s as predictable as the sunrise. These are usually mid to late round draft picks, or UFA with a great story.

No harm in that of course. I just find it humorous that every year about this time, we are told about some player who has had “a great camp” that eventually doesn’t make the team or does but never amounts to much when the live bullets of the regular season start to fly.

So, just for fun, I thought I would throw down a few names of “TC Pet Cats” - guys that were over-hyped at TC in the last 20-25 years, but never amounted to much. See how many of these names you remember:

• Beau Morgan- RB originally an UFA out of Air Force, he led the team in rushing for three straight training camps, yet never had a single carry in a regular season game.
• Rico Gathers- TE- the most over-hyped player in recent memory. Fans raves about his playmaking abilities- all in shorts or against 4th team Safeties in a preseason game.
• Matt Johnson- S- a 5th round pick that had ability but had more hamstring pulls than anyone in history. Hyped as a future star, he never had any impact.
• Dustin Vaughn- QB- an UFA with a pretty decent arm who received fan accolades for his TC throws and occasional moments in ps games. Never took a snap in a meaningful game.
• Jameil Showers- QB/WR/S/ and god knows what else- seemed like he was hovering around this roster for 5 years, “making plays” in TC but never amounting to anything.
• Kevin Ogletree- WR- actually made the team and made a few catches in regular season, but the hype we heard from TC was over the top compared to what he really was.

This list could go on and on. It always makes me laugh to see the Cowboys beat writers and/or team officials gush about some guy at TC who may not even make the team as “special”. No harm. Just a tradition I find humorous.

Who are some past TC “Pet cat stars” I left out?

Rico Gathers isn’t in the Hall of Fame?

 

[Bobhaze]

Rico Gathers isn’t in the Hall of Fame?

Yes...the “Football Shorts and T-shirt Hall of Fame”.

 

[jazzcat22]

At the beginning of every training camp, Cowboys fans who are starved for some real football, are served a steady diet of full on hype about some “training camp stars” who probably will never amount to much. It’s as predictable as the sunrise. These are usually mid to late round draft picks, or UFA with a great story.

No harm in that of course. I just find it humorous that every year about this time, we are told about some player who has had “a great camp” that eventually doesn’t make the team or does but never amounts to much when the live bullets of the regular season start to fly.

So, just for fun, I thought I would throw down a few names of “TC Pet Cats” - guys that were over-hyped at TC in the last 20-25 years, but never amounted to much. See how many of these names you remember:

• Beau Morgan- RB originally an UFA out of Air Force, he led the team in rushing for three straight training camps, yet never had a single carry in a regular season game.
• Rico Gathers- TE- the most over-hyped player in recent memory. Fans raves about his playmaking abilities- all in shorts or against 4th team Safeties in a preseason game.
• Matt Johnson- S- a 5th round pick that had ability but had more hamstring pulls than anyone in history. Hyped as a future star, he never had any impact.
• Dustin Vaughn- QB- an UFA with a pretty decent arm who received fan accolades for his TC throws and occasional moments in ps games. Never took a snap in a meaningful game.
• Jameil Showers- QB/WR/S/ and god knows what else- seemed like he was hovering around this roster for 5 years, “making plays” in TC but never amounting to anything.
• Kevin Ogletree- WR- actually made the team and made a few catches in regular season, but the hype we heard from TC was over the top compared to what he really was.

This list could go on and on. It always makes me laugh to see the Cowboys beat writers and/or team officials gush about some guy at TC who may not even make the team as “special”. No harm. Just a tradition I find humorous.

Who are some past TC “Pet cat stars” I left out?

HOF to beat out Zeke Darius Jackson.

 

[dagreat1_87]

Man, Matt Johnson was definitely a big one around here. I can't remember the name of the DB but I remember he had the most interceptions in training camp or something like that a few years ago. and got a bunch of hype

 

[Bobhaze]

The new TC pet cats are- 4th round C Tyler Biadaz, 5th roundDE Bradlee Anae, and 7th rd QB Ben “The Nooch” DiNucci.

Their “greatness” is just now being chronicled.

 

[chagus]

LB DeVonte Holleman was a pet cat I thought had a bright future.

 

[JohnnyTheFox]

Jeff Ogden

 

[GenoT]

QB Mike White (2018).

Based on the preseason, some were saying he was gonna take Cooper Rush’s spot and possibly challenge Dak (lol). But in his one Cowboys season, White was never on the active roster.

 

[armadillooutlaw]

Ben Gardner and Davon Coleman back in 2014 I think?
This year it's Gallimore for me.

 

[ghst187]

Lance Lenoir!
Camp star, preseason game flop year after year, never understood why he kept hanging around

 

[Bobhaze]

QB Mike White (2018).

Based on the preseason, some were saying he was gonna take Cooper Rush’s spot and possibly challenge Dak (lol). But in his one Cowboys season, White was never on the active roster.

Good one.

Not surprisingly, Ben DiNucci is getting some hype these days even though a study in 2016 or 2017 showed that in the last 20 years, less than 6% of 7th round QBs every become even a part time starting QB. The odds of “The Nooch” ever being anything other than a deep backup are extremely slim.

 

[DallasDW00ds0n]

I remember hearing and thinking Justin Beriault was the next big thing at safety

Crazy!! I was just my saying this guys name in my head trying to spell it and you beat me to it!

 

[buybuydandavis]

Darius Jackson was another Cowboys backup RB legend.

Darius the Great!

 

[unionjack8]

Posters here swore Ben Bass had pro bowl ability.....

 

[kskboys]

Darius Jackson was another Cowboys backup RB legend.

He's the one I bought into.

 

[buybuydandavis]

At the beginning of every training camp, Cowboys fans who are starved for some real football, are served a steady diet of full on hype about some “training camp stars” who probably will never amount to much. It’s as predictable as the sunrise. These are usually mid to late round draft picks, or UFA with a great story.

No harm in that of course. I just find it humorous that every year about this time, we are told about some player who has had “a great camp” that eventually doesn’t make the team or does but never amounts to much when the live bullets of the regular season start to fly.

So, just for fun, I thought I would throw down a few names of “TC Pet Cats” - guys that were over-hyped at TC in the last 20-25 years, but never amounted to much. See how many of these names you remember:

• Beau Morgan- RB originally an UFA out of Air Force, he led the team in rushing for three straight training camps, yet never had a single carry in a regular season game.
• Rico Gathers- TE- the most over-hyped player in recent memory. Fans raves about his playmaking abilities- all in shorts or against 4th team Safeties in a preseason game.
• Matt Johnson- S- a 5th round pick that had ability but had more hamstring pulls than anyone in history. Hyped as a future star, he never had any impact.
• Dustin Vaughn- QB- an UFA with a pretty decent arm who received fan accolades for his TC throws and occasional moments in ps games. Never took a snap in a meaningful game.
• Jameil Showers- QB/WR/S/ and god knows what else- seemed like he was hovering around this roster for 5 years, “making plays” in TC but never amounting to anything.
• Kevin Ogletree- WR- actually made the team and made a few catches in regular season, but the hype we heard from TC was over the top compared to what he really was.

This list could go on and on. It always makes me laugh to see the Cowboys beat writers and/or team officials gush about some guy at TC who may not even make the team as “special”. No harm. Just a tradition I find humorous.

Who are some past TC “Pet cat stars” I left out?

Jelks was hot stuff last year.
Noah Brown was Dez Lite.
Remember when Cooper Rush lit up preseason? Good times.

 

[kskboys]

Oh, another one. Remember the one and only Caesar Rayford? Holy tamales, there were some swearing he was going to make Charles Haley look like the water boy.