NFL predictions: Unlikely stars for all 32 teams entering 2019
Dallas Cowboys: Devin Smith, WR
Devin Smith was drafted in the second round of the 2015 NFL draft but injuries have limited him to just 14 games in four seasons. He tore his ACL twice and hasn’t played in a regular-season game since January 1, 2017.
This type of thing would spell the end for many around the league but Devin Smith has worked his way back and was signed by the Dallas Cowboys in January of this year.
It’s likely that Smith was only brought in to add some speedy competition to the unit throughout camp but his performance has made him a legitimate option to make the Cowboys roster.
He made plays consistently throughout camp and has carried that over into the preseason as well.
Smith is tied for third in the league in receptions with 12 and sixth in the league in yards with 157 through three games. He’s reeled in at least three catches in each of his three performances thus far, including six against the Texans in week three.
The journey Smith has been on is something many couldn’t handle but his perseverance and grit have turned him into one of the better early season’s stories around the league.
New York Giants: T.J. Jones, WR
The New York Giants have may the thinnest group of wide receivers in the NFL after trading Odell Beckham Jr. to the Browns.
They did bring in Golden Tate to pair with Sterling Shepard but he is facing a four-game suspension to start the year. In response to that news, the team signed former Detroit Lion, T.J. Jones, who has hit the ground running with his new team.
Jones has made plays regularly in practice and has been the go-to receiver for Giants quarterbacks thus far in the preseason. In three games, he’s been targeted 12 times and has caught 9 of those for 104 yards and two touchdowns.
While he is currently buried on the depth chart a bit, his performance thus far and versatility should lead to him making this roster and he could legitimately make an impact for the Giants in 2019.
Philadelphia Eagles: Daeshon Hall, DE
Daeshon Hall has had a hectic start to his NFL career so far. He was drafted in the third round back in 2017 by the Carolina Panthers but spent the majority of his rookie year on IR before being waived during camp last season. He then had short stints with the 49ers and Texans before signing with the Eagles late in the year.
The Eagles are pretty flush with pass rushers at the moment, so Hall would have had to really stand out before the 53-man roster is decided on. Well, he’s done just that through three games of the preseason and is making a strong case to be the final piece to that unit in 2019.
Hall had three sacks and two forced fumbles in his first two preseason games with the Eagles. He’s shown a relentless nature when getting after the quarterback and has the motor that you want from a guy that is working his tail off to make the team.
While Daeshon Hall’s career hasn’t quite gone the way he’s expected, it’s possible that the struggle has made him a better player and he may finally get the opportunity to show that in 2019.
Washington Redskins: Jimmy Moreland, DB
Jimmy Moreland wasn’t drafted until the seventh-round by the Washington Redskins, likely due to being undersized and coming from a small school with limited competition.
However, if you had just looked at his statistics with James Madison you would think that he should have been a first-rounder.
He showed off elite ball skills, tallying 18 interceptions and deflecting 63 balls in four years.
Moreland is now proving that his game can translate to the next level as he has been extremely active for the Redskins through camp and the preseason.
In three games, Moreland leads the team in tackles, has three pass deflections, forced two fumbles and notched a tackle for loss as well.
The most important thing associated with these statistics is that he is being tested often, which is important for a young defensive back with something to prove.
Moreland’s play should lead to a role as a slot option in the Washington secondary in 2019.