Dallas, TX
The Dallas Cowboys rookie class was underwhelming this past season
When it comes to Dallas Cowboys criticism the primary targets are pretty well understood. Jerry Jones, Stephen Jones, Mike McCarthy and/or Dak Prescott are often under the microscope for this, that or the other. That is par for the course when it comes to life within and around America’s Team.
In terms of people who rarely catch any kind of strays, Will McClay has no real reason to. For the most part what McClay touches turns to gold as he oversees the Cowboys’ draft process, but it is more than fair to discuss his most recent crop of draftees.
NFL.com gave the Dallas Cowboys rookie class a failing grade
While McClay has a track record of mostly incredible success, his most recent handiwork is hardly anything to behold. The season ended over a month ago for the Cowboys and with it the first NFL season for their rookie class. All told the Cowboys hardly got any contributions from their rookies, the majority of contributions came from undrafted free agent Brandon Aubrey who turned in one of the greatest seasons that an NFL kicker ever has (not just rookies).
But the draft class was underwhelming to say the last. Michigan men Mazi Smith and Luke Schoonmaker hardly impacted the overall campaign, and while DeMarvion Overshown offered plenty of promise, he was lost back in the preseason portion of things. Deuce Vaughn captivated everyone’s attention, but wound up inactive more often than not down the stretch. Needless to say it was a pretty forgettable class.
Recently the folks over at NFL.com graded every rookie class and Dallas came in below passing, aka failing.
Round 1
(No. 26) Mazi Smith, DL | 17 games/3 starts
Round 2
(58) Luke Schoonmaker, TE | 17 games/0 starts
Round 3
(90) DeMarvion Overshown, LB | 0 games/starts
Round 4
(129) Viliami Fehoko Jr., DL | 0 games/starts
Round 5
(169) Asim Richards, OL | 8 games/0 starts
Round 6
(178) Eric Scott Jr., DB | 0 games/starts
(212) Deuce Vaughn, RB | 7 games/0 starts
Round 7
(244) Jalen Brooks, WR | 7 games/0 starts
Notable Free Agent Signees
TJ Bass, OL | 17 games/2 starts
Hunter Luepke, FB | 17 games/0 starts
Tyrus Wheat, DL | 12 games/0 starts
The Cowboys had a pretty strong season, but their rookies’ contributions were extremely limited. Among their eight draft picks, only five saw the field, although a handful of undrafted players did help give the group of first-year pros in Dallas a boost. (It is too bad for the Cowboys’ grade that All-Pro kicker Brandon Aubrey’s time in the USFL disqualified him from rookie status in his first NFL campaign.)
Smith was one of the main Year 1 contributors, although he started just three games and ranked fourth among Dallas DTs in snaps. Asked to play more 3-technique than nose tackle (his college position), Smith showed greater impact later in the regular season — even so, he logged just four snaps in the playoff loss to Green Bay. It’s clear the Cowboys will expect more from him in 2024.
No other rookie made an impact on defense. Overshown could be the long-term replacement for Leighton Vander Esch, but he suffered a torn ACL, and his first season ended up being a wash. Neither Fehoko nor Scott were active for any game, in what amounted to redshirt seasons for both.
Schoonmaker worked primarily as a run blocker and goal-line receiver before his receiving duties were slightly expanded later in the season. Like many rookie tight ends, he needed more seasoning. Luepke proved to be a nice find in a league that has somewhat phased out fullbacks; he earned a role as a lead blocker and was given whatever crumbs were left over when it comes to touches (six carries, three catches). He’ll have a chance to reprise that role, with head coach Mike McCarthy returning.
Bass outplayed Richards, filling in up front when injuries hit the interior of the Cowboys’ O-line. Vaughn was a great story on draft weekend, getting to work with his father, Cowboys assistant director of college scouting Chris Vaughn. But while he showed some flashes against the Jets in Week 2, he struggled to find a role on offense or special teams, and he will likely need a strong offseason to secure his spot on the team.
Brandon Aubrey was technically omitted from the assessment which pulls the group down even further. Will McClay has had plenty of hits as mentioned at the top, but he has some explaining to do for this particular mess.
What is particularly disheartening about the rookie class is that it is hard to envision how the top of it can impact things right away. While you obviously want everyone to contribute, the largest likelihood of that happening comes from your top 100 selections and the Cowboys have question marks hovering around all of theirs.
Overshown offers the greatest promise, but coming back from an ACL tear means we should all exercise some patience there. Schoonmaker has legitimate potential, but the Cowboys have a star at tight end in Jake Ferguson who is clearly ahead of him on the depth chart. It would have been nice to feel like Mazi Smith could fill the void that Johnathan Hankins might leave behind, but that feels questionable at best right now.
Hitting on draft picks is a must in the NFL and the Cowboys really did not hit on any last year. That cannot happen again.
(Editor’s Note: As part of the preparation for training camp, this series will introduce 25 players who are new to the Cowboys’ roster, rookies and veterans alike. We’ll continue with outside linebacker Tyrus Wheat.)
The 2026 season will mark a homecoming for Wheat, who is now back in Dallas for his second stint with the Cowboys. As an undrafted free agent out of Mississippi State, Wheat signed with the Cowboys in 2023 on the practice squad before quickly being signed to the active roster a few months afterwards.
In his rookie season, Wheat saw a majority of his snaps come on special teams with 197, and only 31 snaps on defense. That would flip in his second season, with 165 snaps on defense and 46 on special teams. Through two years, Wheat played in 20 games and tallied 18 tackles and half a sack before spending a year with the Lions in 2025.
As is true across all levels of football, you can never have enough pass rushers. Wheat gives the Cowboys another pass rusher, who has the added ability to be able to help out on special teams as well as a blocker on kickoffs.
As for how much he’ll be in the defensive rotation, that’ll have to be something he earns in training camp. The Cowboys have some younger pass rushers ahead of him now like Donovan Ezeiruaku and first-round pick Malachi Lawrence, so there’ll need to be some proving done. That said, Wheat is also coming off his best year yet with the Lions. Will it be enough to find a role in the pass rush rotation? Oxnard will give us a good idea of that.
- Wheat played a vital special teams role for the Lions last season, tallying 11 special teams tackles which was the third-most for Detroit in 2025. He played a career-high 215 special teams snaps in order to get to that point.
- Wheat’s one and only season away from the Cowboys thus far in his career saw him play in 15 games for the Lions, where he also tallied a career-high 15 tackles and 1.5 sacks despite only playing 66 defensive snaps.
- After wearing 91 in his first stint with Dallas, Wheat returns to the Cowboys wearing 90 now, which was last worn by defensive tackle Solomon Thomas.
Detroit Pistons introduce second-round pick Ugonna Onyenso
Detroit Pistons rookie second-round pick Ugonna Onyenso is introduced to members of the media July 6, 2026.
The Detroit Pistons have traded a third player this summer.
The Pistons agreed to deal 25-year-old combo guard Marcus Sasser to the Dallas Mavericks, coached by ex-Michigan coach Dusty May, on Tuesday, July 7, according to ESPN. The Pistons are also sending a protected 2028 second-round pick to the Los Angeles Clippers.
This comes as part of a complex six-team trade that includes the Pistons dealing Caris LeVert in a salary-saving move to the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday evening. The six-team trade also involves the previously reported moves of the Pistons trading Isaiah Stewart to the Memphis Grizzlies and the Pistons’ acquisition of John Collins from the Clippers.
The Pistons generate a trade exception worth $15 million in the trade-palooza, a person with first-hand knowledge told the Free Press, granted anonymity because they are not authorized to speak publicly. The trade exception is worth the same amount as Stewart’s outgoing salary for 2026-27 and allows the Pistons to take in salary up to $15 million without having to send any back. It expires in exactly one year.
Sasser joins a Mavs backcourt where Kyrie Irving is the starting lead guard, and could compete with second-year undrafted guard Ryan Nembhard for the backup role.
Sasser, who the Pistons traded up to draft 25th overall out of Houston in 2023 under previous general manager Troy Weaver, averaged 5.2 points and shot 41.5% from 3. He is on an expiring contract worth $5.2 million from his four-year, $13.5 million rookie deal.
When called upon, Sasser proved he can play. The 6-foot-1, 195-pounder was one of the team’s best shooters, but only appeared in 38 games last season due to injury and the Pistons’ depth at guard.
Pistons president of basketball operations Trajan Langdon indicated a desire to add more ball-handling and shooting this offseason, after a 60-22 season ended in Game 7 of the second round.
Sasser’s path to minutes wasn’t going to get easier following the addition of first-round pick Ebuka Okorie, a 19-year-old from Stanford, whom the Pistons traded up four spots to draft No. 17 overall.
Then, Langdon traded for one of the NBA’s best 3-point shooters in guard Isaiah Joe in a deal with the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Sasser, who was out of the playoff rotation until Game 5 of the second round, sparked the Pistons in Game 6 at Cleveland, pouring in nine points on 4-for-5 shooting in 18 minutes in a win-or-go-home setting. He played 23 minutes in Game 7, scoring nine points on 3-for-12 shooting in a 125-94 blowout loss to the Cavaliers at home.
Pistons roster moves this offseason
The Pistons have turned over much of the roster this summer through the draft and NBA free agency.
Here’s who they’ve added and who they’ve lost:
Lost
- Traded Marcus Sasser (Mavericks)
- Traded Caris LeVert (Bucks)
- Traded Isaiah Stewart (Grizzlies)
- Tobias Harris (Spurs)
Added
- Drafted Ebuka Okorie (No. 17)
- Drafted Ugonna Onyenso (No. 53, two-way contract)
- Acquired Isaiah Joe (Thunder)
- Acquired John Collins (Clippers)
- Acquired Taurean Prince (Bucks)
- Acquired Gary Harris (Bucks)
The Pistons also re-signed bench wings Kevin Huerter and Javonte Green.
Pistons depth chart
The Pistons have 16 players on their 15-man roster, plus two of three two-way slots filled. Here’s where their depth chart currently stands as of Wednesday morning:
*Jalen Duren remains unsigned as a restricted free agent.
- PG: Cade Cunningham, Daniss Jenkins, Ebuka Okorie.
- SG: Duncan Robinson, Isaiah Joe, Javonte Green, Chaz Lanier, Gary Harris.
- SF: Ausar Thompson, Ron Holland, Kevin Huerter, Taurean Prince.
- PF: John Collins, Isaac Jones (two-way).
- C: *Jalen Duren, Paul Reed, Tolu Smith, Ugonna Onyenso (two-way).
[ MUST WATCH: Make “The Pistons Pulse” your go-to Pistons podcast, listen available anywhere you listen to podcasts (Apple, Spotify) or watch live on YouTube. ]
Dusty May on leaving Michigan for the Dallas Mavericks
New Dallas Mavericks head coach Dusty May sat down with FOX 4’s Mike Doocy to discuss why he left the University of Michigan for an NBA job, how his wife and family have supported his journey, his expectations for transforming the Mavs into a championship contender, and more.
DALLAS – North Texans are eager to learn all about the Dallas Mavericks’ new head coach, Dusty May, and his plan for the team.
Dallas Mavs Coach Dusty May
What we know:
May is fresh off a national title win with the Michigan Wolverines.
In his two season in Ann Arbor, May guided the Wolverines to a 64-13 record.
In his prior stint as the head coach at Florida Atlantic University, May guided the Owls to a Final Four in 2023 and multiple NCAA tournament berths.
May comes in as the replacement for Jason Kidd, who the Mavericks parted ways with in late May.
He’s the first big hire under Masai Ujiri, who was hired as the team’s new President of Basketball Operations in early May.
This will be May’s first stint as an NBA head coach.
What they’re saying:
In an interview with Mike Doocy, the 49-year-old coach said he thinks the Mavericks could become real championship contenders sooner rather than later.
He highlighted Kyrie Irving’s return, the potential of Max Christie, and, of course, the skills of star rookie Cooper Flag.
“I think it’s just his mindset, his tenacity, his ability to play every single position at a high level and play both sides of the ball. The fact that he’s always won. He hasn’t always been on the most talented teams, so he’s a competitor that’s up for the challenge. I could literally go on all day about the positive attributes that Cooper has,” he said.
In terms of adjusting from college basketball to the NBA, May said he’s excited about the coaching staff he’s putting together.
He plans to rely on the veterans on the team and in the office as he starts his professional basketball career.
The Source: Information in this article comes from an interview with Dallas Mavericks head coach Dusty May.
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