PHOENIX – How's this for a stat: of the Cowboys' six touchdowns this preseason, four have been scored by rookies and three have come from draft picks.
Saturday's loss to Arizona offered the Cowboys' incoming draft class another opportunity to show out, and that's precisely what they did.
Here's a look at how the team's draftees fared against the Cardinals, with the obvious exception of safety J.J. Wilcox, who was absent due to the death of his mother.
Gavin Escobar, TE:Escobar had easily his best day of the preseason, as he found the end zone for the first time as a pro. Escobar motioned out of the backfield on a third and two at the Arizona five-yard line, and quarterback Alex Tanney found him open in the flat. Escobar took the easy catch and battled off two defenders on the way to the pylon for a touchdown. He finished with five receptions for 32 yards and the score, showing a little bit of his redzone potential along the way.
DeVonte Holloman, LB:This week it was Holloman, not Wilcox, who saved the Cowboys in the redzone. It looked like Dallas was finally about to break and allow their first touchdown of the afternoon when the Cardinals drove deep into the Cowboys' redzone. Holloman changed that when he nabbed an errant throw by Arizona quarterback Drew Stanton and ended the threat. Holloman nearly added another huge feather in his cap when he appeared to strip Stanton in the pocket earlier in the second quarter. Defensive end Kyle Wilber recovered what officials ruled to be a fumble, but a challenge by Arziona determined it to be an incomplete pass.
Terrance Williams, WR:Williams came about an arm's length away from a rousing start to his professional career. Tony Romo found him in the first quarter when he broke open down the sideline, but he floated a lofty ball just beyond Williams' grasp. It would have been an easy touchdown had it been on target. That disappointment roomed rather large, as Williams finished the day with just one catch for five yards, though Romo said Williams showed a lot of good signs during his first action.
Joseph Randle, RB:Randle led the Cowboys' rushing effort – though that is hardly saying much. The Cowboys ran the ball for a mere 44 yards, and Randle provided 16 of those on eight carries for a measly two-yard average. That can be attributed to the Cowboys' slew of turnovers, as well as their success throwing the ball. Randle was in the game primarily with third-string quarterback Alex Tanney. [embedded_ad]
Travis Frederick, C:It's always hard to judge an offensive lineman using statistics. But the Cowboys' lack of rushing success jumps off the page. It's hard to tell how much of that concern is legitimate, though, as starting running back DeMarco Murray managed just five carries. It's worth noting that Frederick and his first team offensive line teammates didn't surrender a sack to the Cardinals.
B.W. Webb, CB:It wasn't the disastrous day that Webb had in Oakland, but it wasn't anything to celebrate, either. It seemed like the Cardinals picked on Webb a bit, as multiple Arizona receivers went for long gains from the slot – where Webb was matched up. He finished with two tackles, and he wasn't given any punt return opportunities in the game.
