Wyoming senior linebacker Mark Nzeocha was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the seventh round of the 2015 NFL Draft.
The German-born player was taken with the 236th pick in the draft, and is expected to add some good depth to the Dallas defense.
Nzeocha notched 32 tackles as a sophomore, but burst onto the Mountain West Conference scene his junior year, recording 101 tackles for the Pokes. Before suffering a season-ending ACL injury in the seventh game of his senior season, he was ranked 5th in the MWC and 45th in the nation in tackles.
Nzeocha was reported by the Casper Star Tribune to have received a call from Dallas owner Jerry Jones personally when he was selected. Nzeocha had previously been flown to Dallas to meet with Cowboys coaches in early April.
“All of the people I had over, they didn’t know who I was on the phone with,” Nzeocha said in the Star Tribune article. “I was just talking on the phone, pointing at the television screen.”
Nzeocha received knee surgery this last October to repair the damage in his knee, and UW defensive coordinator Steve Stanard told the Casper Star Tribune that Nzeocha demonstrated mental and physical toughness with his quick rehab before the NFL Rookie Combine.
“It speaks a lot about his mental and physical toughness,” Stanard said. “I think that, if anything, probably says a lot to the scouts.”
Dallas coach Jason Garrett said in a Dallas Morning News article that Nzeocha’s injury was a cause for concern, but his physical abilities and instincts trump the doubts.
“He is very good in space, very good on special teams, catches the ball and really makes a lot of plays on the ball,” Garrett said.
Mark Nzeocha plays in a game from earlier this season. Nzeocha was recently drafted by the Dallas Cowboys.
