Have the Dallas Cowboys Found a Young Defensive Star?

David Irving, Cowboys Defensive Tackle

Rookies Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliot have made watching the Cowboys fun again and the duo did not disappoint Sunday night.

21 year old running back Elliot gained 159 yards on 23 carries, 6.9 yards per carry, also catching 3 passes and scoring a touchdown.

23 year old quarterback Prescott completed 32 of 36 passes, 88.9%, for 279 yards.  He also ran for one TD.

While those two great performances were not surprises, the skill set displayed by a second year, undrafted player, shocked.  David Irving, 23, a 6'7," 273 lb. defensive tackle, picked up off the Kansas City Chiefs' practice squad last year, came in for Tampa Bay's final, would-be game winning drive.

As Irving entered the game, announcer Al Michaels said: "Watch out for this kid.  He made some great plays in the Giants game last week."

Two seconds later, Irving sacked Tampa Bay Quarterback Jameis Winston so easily that he was double-teamed on the next play.  No matter. Irving pressured Winston twice into errant throws, then on fourth down, tipped his throwing elbow resulting in a Cowboy interception.

Irving added a pass rushing element the Cowboys have not had for some time.  Despite Irving's brief appearance in the game, NBC's Sunday Night Football awarded him the symbolic "game ball," along with Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliot.

6'7" Irving Carrying STOP Sign

Irving likely went undrafted because of being kicked off the football team at Iowa State for involvement in a demonstration during the school's Vieshia Festival.  Irving was photographed carrying a "STOP" sign, charged with fifth degree theft and removed from the team.  Irving later said he wished he'd just "gone home," instead of participating in the disturbance.

Irving went undrafted in 2015, but signed a 3-year contract with the Kansas City Chiefs.  He did not fit into their style of defense and found himself on the practice squad.  The Cowboys picked up his contract.