FRISCO, Texas — True to their word and annual tradition over the past several offseasons, the Dallas Cowboys are indeed keeping a very keen eye on the developments within the UFL (United Football League), formerly known separately as two entities: the USFL and the XFL, before the merger of the two leagues took place in 2024.
And while it's been a very active offseason for the Cowboys, including adding talent to the roster via free agency signings and trades, it never once meant they were out on what the UFL might offer — having had grand slam success in giving KaVontae Turpin (former USFL MVP) and Brandon Aubrey a training camp tryout in 2022 and 2023, respectively.
"Obviously, we're paying attention because we've found a player or two through the UFL," executive vice president and director of player personnel Stephen Jones said during OTAs. "So we're watching that, in terms of those guys are doing a good job over there to see if there's anybody that can help us over here. We'll keep our eyes on who's available."
As far as who they're keeping their eye on, specifically, two names have surfaced within a group of five players the Cowboys will hold a workout for as mandatory minicamp concludes and the team breaks ahead of training camp.
Not surprisingly, they're focused on the defensive side of the ball.
Perrion Winfrey, DT
This 24-year-old is an interior defensive lineman looking to find a place on a Cowboys' defensive roster that is looking to bolster its run defense, also hailing from a recent stint in the UFL. Winfrey laced up for the very same Stallions that once laid claim to Brandon Aubrey, and there's a solid chance this could be another good get when considering the former was named to the All-UFL Team in 2025, the very season he joined the league — racking up 29 combined tackles (17 solo, 9 tackles for loss), four pass breakups, a forced fumble and a sack in 10 games. Also a former fourth-round pick of the Cleveland Browns in 2022,
Winfrey spent the 2023 season with the New York Jets and, guess who, newly-added Cowboys' defensive line coach Aaron Whitecotton, on the same front as Dallas defensive assistant Tanzel Smart, so Winfrey's tryout carries plenty of possibility.
DeVere Levelston, DT
Levelston is a 24-year-old, like Winfrey, but a native of DeSoto, Texas, a community just south of downtown Dallas, hoping for a homecoming after a strong showing for the Memphis Showboats of the UFL, where he currently suits up. Initially signed as an undrafted free agent by the Seattle Seahawks in 2024, Levelston made his way to the UFL to sharpen his skills and he's doing exactly that — posting 12 tackles and two sacks this spring, despite joining Memphis midway through the season.
Robert Rochell, CB
It's no secret the Cowboys need depth and some assistance at cornerback, given the unknown surrounding when Trevon Diggs will be ready for his return, along with others working back from injury as well (e.g., Shavon Revel, Caelen Carson, etc.). Rochell would like an opportunity to show what he can do, and he'll get it on Thursday. The 27-year-old hasn't spent any time in the UFL, as Winfrey and Levelston have, but he is a former fourth-round pick of Sean McVay and the Los Angeles Rams who went on to spend time with four other NFL teams, including the Kansas City Chiefs in 2025 — 48 total NFL games on his resume — before now getting a workout with the Cowboys.
Jerry Jacobs, CB
The other workout at cornerback comes by way of Jacobs, a 27-year-old from Atlanta, Georgia who made his way to the ranks of the NFL through the program at Arkansas after transferring from Arkansas State, earning his way there via Hutchinson Community College. He was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Detroit Lions in 2023, then going on to sign with the Los Angeles Rams in 2024. In 2023, Jacobs took the field as a starter against the Packers and grabbed two interceptions against Jordan Love (something the Cowboys could've used in January 2024), and finished the year with 55 combined tackles and three interceptions in 12 starts.
George Fant, OT
By far the most tenured of this workout group, Fant boasts a total of 101 NFL games with 75 starts to his name at offensive tackle, a position the Cowboys want to finish tweaking as they head into training camp. He would add another veteran presence to a very young group, a 32-year-old who has been in the NFL since 2016. Fant has spent most of his career with the Seattle Seahawks but his three-year stretch with the Jets saw him play against a defensive line coached by Whitecotton — who got a great look, daily, at what Fant might bring to the table for Dallas.
