On the Bubble Dallas Cowboy Player Profile: Danny Coale
By Reid Hanson
The Preseason is about building depth and building for the future. The Dallas Cowboys, like most NFL teams, have majority of their starters safely established in their positions. The depth chart behind them is a completely different story…
This preseason Sport DFW will profile a few different bubble players (players on the edge of making the roster or getting cut from the team). We will look at their history, their progress, their main competition, and finally their chances of making the roster. They will be our Key Players to Track during the preseason games and should add a little excitement to an otherwise worthless exhibition.
Player: Danny Coale
Position: Receiver
Draft Status: 5th round
Age/Height/Weight: 24/6-0/190
January 3, 2012; New Orleans, LA, USA; Virginia Tech Hokies wide receiver Danny Coale (19) pulls in a pass in the endzone past Michigan Wolverines cornerback Courtney Avery (5) during the first overtime in the Sugar Bowl at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. The touchdown was overturned when the ball came in contact with the ground. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports
Danny Coale was a standout WR at Virginia Tech collecting 2658 yards and 8 TD’s in his career. The Cowboys selected Danny in the fifth round of the 2012 NFL Draft hoping to have found a plug-in slot receiver. Danny Coale was scouted as an intelligent student of the game who despite lacking game-breaking physical attributes, was always able to get open. Scouts and coaches testified he was well rounded and could beat man coverage, find soft spots in zone coverage, operate successfully out of the slot, and act as a willing blocker.
As a result of the excellent scouting report, lofty expectations were placed on Danny despite his 5th round status. In addition, many Cowboys fans saw Danny as their Pet Cat of the team.
Pet Cat – a term used by Bill Parcells to describe players with low-to-no draft status but enough potential that coaches and fans cheer for them above most others.
Typically fifth round draft picks have a fairly good shot of making their respective team’s final roster, but in 2012 (Danny’s rookie season) he was cut after injuries kept him from ever seriously competing. Many fans were upset and sure he would be gobbled up by another team. They feared he would then go on to build a Hall of Fame career on another team and beat the Cowboys for the next 10 seasons…ok, that may be too far. But the point is many people who dubbed Danny their Pet Cat expected Dallas to lose him to another team when the Cowboys cut him. Low and behold Danny was not acquired by anyone else (apparently other teams prefer a player to actually play football before they hand over a roster spot). Dallas happily signed him to their practice squad until he was placed on IR for an ACL tear.
June 11, 2013; Irving, TX, USA; Dallas Cowboys receiver Danny Coale (81) makes a catch during minicamp at Dallas Cowboys Headquarters. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
The former 5th rounder is back in 2013 to claim that roster spot he left behind in 2012. Sadly due to knee swelling he has spent much of training camp on the sidelines rather than competing. With plenty of preseason ahead of him he still has a chance to make the team if he can ever get back on the field on a regular basis. Spending most of his time with the trainers has also kept him from making a mark on Special Teams. With the top 4 WR spots locked up, Danny finds himself fighting for the last remaining 2 WR spots on the team. Without making a contribution to either the receiver position or as a Special Teamer, Danny is fighting an uphill battle.
Chance to make the roster: 25%
Up next: Player Profile of Cole Beasley
Do you have questions or comments regarding Dallas area sports? Email Reid at permaximum@hotmail.com. You may be included in the next weekly mailbag. Follow Reid on twitter @ReidDHanson