Cowboys Rookie Predicted to Be Better Than Travis Hunter

FRISCO - It is just about that time of year.

As we say every summer as the Dallas Cowboys make their way to training camp in Oxnard, this year with a July 21 reporting date ...

"The ocean is blue. The sun is yellow. The grass is green. The halter-tops are right. And every guy on the Dallas roster has Pro Bowl potential.''

Seriously, it is an annual ritual around here to grossly overrate every single thing about "America's Team.'' And in my 36 years as a Cowboys beat writer, there is virtually no way to kill the phenomenon.

But ... can we at least slow it a bit?

Before the April NFL Draft, many national media observers tried to tie Dallas to 2024 Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter. There was never any reason to do so, never any solid connection. (And no, the fact that his coach at Colorado was Cowboys legend Deion Sanders doesn't count.)

The selection process came and went. At the top of the draft, the Jacksonville Jaguars maneuvered around and landed Hunter, the unique two-way star who many believe is the best athlete in this class.

Meanwhile, Dallas took Alabama guard Tyler Booker in Round 1, and there is nothing wrong with that.

And in Round 2, Dallas took Boston College edge Donovan Ezeiruaku, and there is nothing wrong with that.

Except ...

Now, the "America's Team'' hype has one of those national websites suggesting that Ezeiruaku has a chance to be better in 2025 than Hunter.

Bleacher Report's Brent Sobleski names six rookies who could be more exciting than the Jacksonville rookie in Year 1. Inside the list, he writes, "Donovan Ezeiruaku led all Power Four pass-rushers with 16.5 sacks last season. He finished one sack short of leading the entire nation. He's smooth off the edge and understands how to attack blockers."

All of that is fine. And with the presence of Micah Parsons on the other end, Ezeiruaku might get his chances to rack up sacks. 

But first he's got to get snaps. And the smart projection is that Hunter is going to win Rookie of the Year ... while Ezeiruaku is busy trying to climb up a depth chart that includes Parsons, Dante Fowler, Sam Williams and more.

Yes, once we get to Oxnard, the ocean is blue, the sun is yellow and the grass is green. But the colors are not going to be bright enough to justify this projection, which in a sense only serves to raise expectations in a way that is actually unfair to the Dallas rookie.