The young players for the Dallas Cowboys did nothing but shine and astound the league last season. Guys like Dak Prescott (Offensive Rookie of the Year) and Ezekiel Elliott (League leading rusher with 1,631 yards) showed that the word rookie is just that, a word. Now this season there are a couple of young players who are looking to do big things in the pending 2017 NFL season, and even bigger things in the playoffs. Ryan Switzer (a first year rookie) and Demarcus Lawrence (going into his second season with the Cowboys) have their sights set on serious goals and major accomplishments this coming season.
Ryan Switzer
Switzer was selected in the fourth round with the 133rd pick in the draft. He is the all time leading receiver in school history at North Carolina. This 5'8" 181 pound fourth round pick wide receiver is projected to be a big playmaker for the Cowboys, on offense and special teams. Ideas have been thrown around that Scott Linehan (Offensive Coordinator) would love him and Beasley to be on the field together to create serious mismatches across the middle. Throughout OTA's Switzer got first and second team reps though they were because of injuries to guys like Cole Beasley, they were serious reps nonetheless. And now with his new "big brother" taking him under his wing, the sky's the limit for Switzer.
Switzer found a mentor and "big brother", as Switzer called him, in Dez Bryant. Dez has taken the young receiver under his wing to make sure he is up to par on the offensive side of the ball and with how this NFL thing works. Finally, "Dez being Dez" means being a leader and a mentor, and he is reflected in a positive light.
Demarcus Lawrence
After a rocky rookie season that started with a four game suspension and ended with a lingering back injury, Lawrence wants to return in his second season in Pro Bowl shape with goals of Playoffs and Pro Bowl. Because of his issues last season, Lawrence was unable to live up to the expectations that everyone across the League had for him.
But with a fresh season on the horizon, Lawrence has fresh goals to attain.
In an interview, Lawrence told reporters that he was looking to enter this season in Pro Bowl shape. He is focused on what he needs to do to help his team this season. One of those things is a goal of 10 plus sacks every season in order to reflect consistency.
If the mindset of the these two young players is any indication of where the rest of the team is, then Cowboy fans should be excited for 2017. "We've got goals. We've got a mission." Lawrence told the media. These Cowboys are focused on what they want for 2017, and it's trickled all the way down to the rookies.