'About 70%': Injured Cowboys LB DeMarvion Overshown turns heads with camp highlight

USA Today

3 days ago

Matt Eberflus' defense continues to take the ball away — Malik Hooker grabbing the defense's third interception of the day (mix of QBs).Dak Prescott repaid this one with a touchdown throw to George Pickens.the battle is on. #Cowboys #TrainingCamp pic.twitter.com/DVWeShiBS8
Training camp highlights, while fun to watch in the downtime of summer's dog days, typically don't offer too much in the way of deep insight. On any given play, a team may be trying out a new personnel package, working on one specific assignment, or implementing some tiny wrinkle that may never see the light of day come September.
Then of course, there's the obvious: no tackling. No hitting. Heck, guys aren't even wearing pants. This isn't real football yet, because no one is putting in 100% maximum effort.
But one moment from the Cowboys' work session on Thursday nevertheless turned heads for what one player showed while not even taking part in the action.
The play was a goal-to-go situation from about the 6-yard-line. After eluding a nice pass rush from rookie defensive end Donovan Ezeiruaku (who has had a brilliant camp thus far, by all accounts, and left Tyler Guyton stabbing at air), quarterback Dak Prescott rolls to his right and fires toward the back of the end zone, where wide receiver George Pickens was waiting.
Pickens went up for the catch, but so did safety Malik Hooker, a few steps in front of him. Hooker reeled in the interception one-handed and took off in the other direction. It was an impressive pick from a defense that is making a habit of it this year in Oxnard, and a play worthy of attention all by itself.
But then DeMarvion Overshown takes over the clip. From his starting position- out of bounds and behind Pickens- the non-helmeted linebacker- who is supposed to be just observing as he rehabs a brutal knee injury- streaks into view, blows past literally everyone else on the field, and escorts Hooker to the opposite end zone in a celebration that completely upstaged his teammate's dynamite grab.
What should be even more exciting for Cowboys fans: after his eye-popping sprint went viral on social media, Overshown came out and admitted that he's still holding back as he continues his comeback bid.
"That was about 70%," Overshown said on X.
The ex-Longhorns star is already a fan favorite, despite having appeared in just 13 games going into his third season. After missing his entire rookie year with an ACL tear, Overshown suffered a triple tear of the ACL, MCL, and PCL in Week 14.
Despite that significant setback, the 24-year-old has set his sights on returning to play this year, setting for himself a target date of Thanksgiving. He's in fact so motivated by his progress that he's even talked openly of claiming the NFL's Comeback Player of the Year honors.
And while he's still just working with the rehab group at camp, he is, according to head coach Brian Schottenheimer, staying mentally engaged by affixing himself to the hip of defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus, learning the system and talking through calls in preparation to wear the green dot once he does return.
"I think that's the next step," Schottenheimer explained to reporters this week.
But prepping to eventually handle signal-calling duties for the defense didn't stop Overshown on Thursday from sprinting to celebrate with them- albeit prematurely- after his teammate's acrobatic pick.
It's only July, but that two-for-one highlight should be reason enough for Cowboys fans to feel good about where the defense- and Overshown- are.
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