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00:00So the Dallas Cowboys are going to pay a whole lot of money to one undrafted free agent and we better watch out for him making that 53-man roster.
00:12Hey, what's up everyone? It's Mauricio Rodriguez here at ADZ Sports Dallas.
00:16We've talked a lot about the draft class, so I figured why not look at UDFAs as the Cowboys begin rookie minicamp this weekend.
00:23And my rule for undrafted free agents is very simple. Follow the money.
00:30These teams fight for the top players that go undrafted year in and year out.
00:35And the key number that you got to watch out for is that guaranteed money, because usually players that receive a ton of guaranteed money are guys at the Cowboys or other teams.
00:45But I'm talking about the Cowboys specifically here. Look as legitimate options for the 53-man roster.
00:51And I'll use a couple of examples for you. In 2023, they made Hunter Lipke one of the top paid UDFAs around the entire NFL.
00:59And they also paid a lot to Earl Bostic Jr., an offensive tackle that they just released, so it didn't pan out well for him.
01:07But Hunter Lipke went on to make the roster, and he's become a contributor to the offense as a fullback.
01:13Last year, that was Brevin Spanford. The moment Brevin Spanford got signed by the Cowboys, the numbers on his deal stood out.
01:20He was also one of the highest paid UDFAs of the year, and it made plenty of sense for them to look at him as a player who could make the roster, which he did.
01:29And he played a lot in 2024, including a 26% snap count on offense, which is plenty for an undrafted rookie.
01:37So looking into 2025, who might be that guy for the Cowboys, one name stands out, and that is Syracuse defensive back Elijah Clark.
01:46According to SpotRack, he is guaranteed at signing $259,000 that currently ranks top 15 around the NFL per SpotRack.
01:57And while there are some deals that we don't know, it's clear the Cowboys are paying Elijah Clark a lot.
02:02For contrast, the Cowboys signed another defensive back in UDFA, and that is Sion Childress from Kentucky, but he only got $135,000 guaranteed.
02:12As to why the Cowboys could be so high on Clark, I think versatility is his calling card.
02:18Just looking at some PFF numbers here very quickly, he played 155 snaps in the box, 154 in the slot, and 259 at free safety.
02:28So he's somebody that the coaches will love to get their hands on, because he's somebody that could play this Swiss Army knife role for the Cowboys in the long run.
02:37According to Dane Brugler, the Athletics' lead NFL draft analyst, Clark has the versatile skill set and toughness to compete for a nickel role at the next level,
02:46but his college tape leaves you wanting more from a playmaking standpoint.
02:50His upside on special teams will help his chances of sticking in the NFL.
02:55So with Dallas, things are very interesting.
02:57The Cowboys really seem to have a very locked-in top four at safety with Donovan Wilson, Malik Hooker as your likely starters,
03:05and then Juanjay Thomas and Marquise Bell, like two backups that they have liked for a few years.
03:10But there's a new defensive staff in town under Matt Iberflues, so it will be fun to see if they look at Clark as a safety prospect,
03:18and if they look at him as a nickel, then things could get even more interesting,
03:21because he might be fighting for his spot in the cornerback room with the likes of Izzy Mukwamu,
03:26who is projected to keep playing nickel in the NFL.
03:30There might be more surprises among the Cowboys' UDFA class,
03:33but for now, Elijah Clark is who I've got my eye on, and Cowboys fans should too.
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