Dallas Cowboys: 5 Sleepers to Watch This Preseason

The Dallas Cowboys don't start the preseason until next Monday, and they've only been camping since last Monday. But we've already been exposed to enough to get a feel for who might emerge from depth chart caves to challenge for roles in 2012.

We give you a handful of potential preseason sleepers on the Dallas roster.

Tim Benford

This could just as easily have been Cole Beasley or Andre Holmes, but I'm giving Benford a slight edge on those other two because he's managed to have a solid training camp while also managing to avoid quitting the team for two days. 

No one has looked spectacular in the battle for the No. 3 receiver job, but Holmes took a big hit when he failed his conditioning test at the start of camp, while Beasley didn't do himself any favors by temporarily leaving the team because his "heart wasn't in it."

Rookie fifth-round pick Danny Coale is just now being eased into practice after missing most of the offseason with a toe injury, and Kevin Ogletree, Raymond Radway and Dwayne Harris have failed to blow anyone away. 

Benford is a Tennessee Tech product who has turned some heads thus far in camp. He also had a strong scrimmage on Sunday, according to ESPNDallas.com's Calvin Watkins.

Ronald Leary

Undrafted rookie guard Ronald Leary has been getting some first-time reps in practice, primarily due to injuries along the offensive line. That said, he's held his ground and is apparently one of Jerry Jones' favorites. 

Leary joins the Cowboys with some baggage. He has a knee condition which might have played a role in his draft slide. But he's lost some weight this offseason, and the knee hasn't bothered him yet. If that holds up, the 23-year-old out of Memphis could wind up being a heck of a steal for the Cowboys.

Clifton Geathers

Someone will inevitably argue that Clifton Geathers isn't a sleeper because he's a veteran who has technically been a Cowboy since 2010, but the guy's been active for only six games during his Dallas career, and he's yet to record a single tackle with the team.

That could change this year. 

The 6'7", 325-pounder knows the system better than Tyrone Crawford and has a significant age advantage over Kenyon Coleman, Jason Hatcher and Marcus Spears. If the Cowboys decide that any of those grizzly veterans are expendable, Geathers could be in the right place at the right time. 

And yes, Josh Brent and Sean Lissemore are also taking up space, but with Jay Ratliff's status uncertain, they'll likely get more of their opportunities in the middle.

Geathers had a solid offseason and got off to a good start at training camp. Expect to see a lot of him throughout the preseason. 

Justin Taplin-Ross

When the Cowboys released Brodney Pool, they were giving their stamp of approval to Barry Church, who is now likely entrenched as the starting strong safety. But that also helped safety Justin Taplin-Ross.

The Utah product was originally signed last summer, but couldn't pass his physical. He took much of the year off after having his appendix removed, but now he's had a full offseason with the team and has been very active in camp. 

There isn't a ton of competition at the safety position, and the big, strong Taplin-Ross has physical tools that are superior to those possessed by Mana Silva or Danny McCray. He's still working with the third team right now, but with rookie Matt Johnson sill being eased into action, Taplin-Ross is a preseason darkhorse.

Adrian Hamilton

It's hard to determine who might emerge as the go-to outside linebacker behind DeMarcus Ware and Anthony Spencer, but that's exactly why a guy like Adrian Hamilton should be monitored.

He hasn't done much to stand out at camp thus far, but the undrafted rookie from, um, Prairie View A&M might have the raw ability and natural pass-rushing skills to put up a fight against Victor Butler, Alex Albright and Kyle Wilber.

I haven't been in Dallas, but Bryan Broaddus of DallasCowboys.com has, and here's his take on Hamilton:

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The thing I really like about Hamilton is his ability not only to rush the passer from the Jack linebacker spot but he did have an understanding how to drop in coverage and play routes. Usually when you have a player that is a hand on the ground player, they don't drop well but that is not the case at all with Hamilton. He is a guy that you need to keep an eye on.

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