FRISCO, Texas — Final July, Jalen Tolbert by no means might have imagined his journey to The Star was a precursor to his future with the Dallas Cowboys.

The receiver and a few mates had been simply visiting his buddy, Bubba Thompson, an outfielder within the Texas Rangers farm system, who was taking part in primarily throughout the road from the Cowboys’ facility for the Frisco RoughRiders. They stood on the turf area exterior Ford Middle, watching highlights of quarterback Dak Prescott and working again Ezekiel Elliott play on a loop.

“It was all the time a purpose to have the ability to play on the highest degree, regardless of the sport was, soccer or baseball,” mentioned Thompson, who was Tolbert’s quarterback at McGill-Toolen Excessive College in Cellular, Alabama, and is now with the Rangers’ Triple-A affiliate in Spherical Rock, Texas. “We’re working to play on the highest degree. Any crew can be superior, but it surely’s loopy that he obtained an opportunity to go to the Cowboys. That’s fairly neat.”

Thompson was the Rangers’ first-round decide in 2017, whereas Tolbert was the Cowboys’ third-round decide final month, however their chase of their professional sports activities dream started the identical approach: fixed days and nights working routes, throwing passes, lifting weights, taking swings within the cage and understanding within the sand to enhance their energy and quickness.

“We’ve all the time been like that,” Thompson mentioned. “We’re attempting to be the most effective. That’s what the most effective do. Simply obtained to be ready. It ain’t going to simply come to you.”

Tolbert didn’t play soccer till his sophomore yr in highschool. He was extra of a baseball participant, like Thompson, and even attended a non-public exercise for the Rangers held in Atlanta. However he obtained hooked on soccer, jokingly saying he had extra hassle with the slider than the curveball. He caught 14 passes for 135 yards as a junior in highschool. As a senior, with Thompson as his quarterback, he caught 37 passes for 696 yards and 9 touchdowns, making all of it the best way to the State 7A Championship.

He was removed from a sure-fire prospect. He obtained curiosity from Michigan State however selected to remain near residence at South Alabama within the Solar Belt Convention. In 4 years, he set faculty data in receptions (178), yards (3,140), landing receptions (22) and 100-yard video games (10).

It’s work he began with Thompson and continues now that has gotten him up to now. On the Cowboys’ latest rookie orientation, he was the final participant to go away the sphere, catching passes off the Jugs machine.

“I really feel such as you’ve obtained to do greater than everyone else if you wish to be greater or higher than everyone else,” Tolbert mentioned. “You’re to get what you place in, mainly, so get 1% higher each day. I’m trying to put within the further work in order that it could come again to me on the again finish.”

He additionally sought information from others. He watched YouTube highlights of Julio Jones, Davante Adams and even CeeDee Lamb, considered one of his new teammates.

In the summertime previous to his remaining faculty season, Tolbert went to the Senior Bowl places of work and met with its govt director, Jim Nagy, a former NFL scout.

“The final yr and a half, he’s actually ready like a professional,” Nagy mentioned. “I believe that’s what made him completely different on this receiver class. I can attest to it. I can really feel actually good about saying that Jalen is absolutely going to have the ability to hit the bottom working. He actually dove into the tape examine a part of it.”

Particularly, Tolbert checked out Tennessee cornerback Alontae Taylor, realizing he would wish a giant recreation to reply questions on taking part in towards higher competitors. He caught seven passes for 143 yards towards the Volunteers final season.

However Nagy additionally picked aside a few of Tolbert’s recreation, too.

“We’re watching my Southern Miss recreation and he’s telling me, ‘Hey, I believe proper right here you may take another revolution. You are able to do this and possibly get somewhat bit extra separation,’” Tolbert mentioned. “Me taking that from him, I can take to my recreation in follow and work on it.”

After assembly with Nagy, he labored out with former NFL receiver Yo Murphy in Florida, spending time with different present NFL receivers. Maybe an excellent greater profit to Tolbert was Main Applewhite turning into South Alabama’s offensive coordinator in 2021 after two years as an analyst at Alabama.

Applewhite introduced over Alabama’s offense, and Tolbert discovered himself learning receivers Jerry Jeudy and DeVonta Smith.

“So I used to be seeing how they had been maneuvering and the way they had been setting themselves as much as win on routes,” mentioned Tolbert, who completed with 1,474 yards and eight touchdowns on 82 receptions as a senior.

For the primary time, Tolbert lined up inside and outside, shifting across the formation. It opened his eyes extra to the entire image of an offense, and the Cowboys really feel comfy he’ll be capable of line up wherever they want him.

After the Cowboys drafted him, Tolbert mentioned Prescott despatched him a playbook.

“He’s instantly attempting to get each piece of fabric he can get and seize all the things,” offensive coordinator Kellen Moore mentioned. “We’re like, ‘We’ll take this day-to-day.’ However you may inform he needs (to study) and values that. You’re going to win on this league with all the small print.”

With receiver Michael Gallup recovering from a torn anterior ligament in his left knee, the Cowboys will want Tolbert to be productive, particularly early within the season. It’s a giant request of any rookie, particularly from a smaller faculty, however one they really feel comfy making.

“Frankly, one of many issues he made a giant level of in our preliminary dialog was he’s fairly younger to the sport of soccer,” coach Mike McCarthy mentioned. “He hasn’t performed loads of soccer. To me, that’s thrilling. Utilizing his phrases, he mentioned, ‘I don’t understand how excessive my ceiling goes to be, however I believe it’s going to be fairly rattling excessive.’ I used to be like, ‘Oh, yeah, you may see it.’”