Dallas Cowboys 2023 UDFA profiles – Who are these guys?

Dallas Cowboys UDFAs

Another name some were expecting to go in the draft was wide receiver Jalen Moreno-Cropper out of Fresno State. I know myself and others had him drafted anywhere from the fifth to the seventh round for the Cowboys. With a lot of people feeling the Cowboys needed to add speed to the wide receiver corps, Moreno-Cropper was seen as a lower-round pick that offered value and speed.

Moreno-Cropper ran a 4.4 40 time so he has the speed that the Cowboys have lacked. He tracks the ball well in the air which allowed him to use his speed and short-area movement to make catches and adjust to the ball. This short area movement ability and the way he uses his hands help him create space before and after the catch. He uses various speeds and pacing throughout his routes along with sharp cuts in and out of breaks which gives him some extra space as well.

One thing watching Moreno-Cropper is that sometimes he will allow the ball to get into him a little too much and he will body catch at times he should pluck it out of the air. Even with his 4.4 speed, there were times watching him that it didn’t always translate on deep throws or with his ability to get behind defenders. His touchdown production and yards after the catch was modest with only a 6.8 YAC and 5 TDs in 2022. His frame will probably cause him to be a slot receiver or have to play off the line as he can get pushed off routes. He has a role as a slot receiver and his speed is needed on the offense.