5 Dark-Horse Candidates to Make Dallas Cowboys' Final 53-Man Roster

No matter how much the public and media try to predict what a team's 53-man roster will look like for the season opener, there always figures to be a handful of dark horses that overachieve and make the squad. 

The Dallas Cowboys have been one of the hardest teams to figure out, as they regularly have players coming out of nowhere to make the 53-man roster. Last year, players like Dustin Vaughan and Davon Coleman made the final roster. Nobody would have picked either to make the team this time last year. 

Now that offseason training activities and minicamps are over, it's time for the real players to shine. Normally, the players who stand out during offseason activities are the ones with athletic talents superior to the rest. 

However, once the pads come on, the real football players stand out. It's also the first opportunity for the offensive and defensive linemen to truly show what they are capable of. 

With that in mind, let's take a look at five dark-horse candidates to make the Cowboys' 53-man roster this season. 

Lucky Whitehead

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One player who looks poised to surprise many people and make the Cowboys' final roster is wide receiver Lucky Whitehead.

When Dwayne Harris left in free agency, huge voids opened up on special teams and at the No. 5 wide receiver spot. With that said, the player who takes Harris' spot on the roster should be someone who can excel on special teams, but also has the potential to develop into a threat as a wide receiver. The player who best fits that template is Whitehead. 

He is probably the most explosive kick and punt returner on the team at the moment, and his speed lends itself well to being a gunner on special teams. 

Furthermore, Whitehead has the potential to become a dangerous slot receiver in the NFL. If he develops at an exponential rate, he could draw comparisons to Andrew Hawkins. 

Dark-horse candidates need to be able to fill a niche on the roster, and Whitehead will do just that as a special teamer. 

Jack Crawford

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One of the most overlooked players on the Cowboys roster is defensive lineman Jack Crawford. He has the ability to play inside at both defensive tackle spots, and he can even slide out to strong-side defensive end. 

Crawford is a stout and powerful player with deceptive quickness when matched up against interior offensive linemen. 

The thing that makes Crawford enticing is that he's able to get after the quarterback from the interior of the defense, which is invaluable to a team. He still needs to work on shedding blocks, but Crawford can win early against a lot of NFL linemen. 

He will likely be battling with another versatile defensive lineman, Ben Gardner, for one of the last spots on the roster. The fact that the Cowboys are a lot thinner at defensive tackle than defensive end could help tilt things in Crawford's favor, though.

Ultimately, Crawford's experience and versatility could get him the nod over Gardner at the end of training camp.

Ryan Williams

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It may be wrong to call Ryan Williams a dark-horse candidate, but if the season started today, he likely wouldn't be on the Cowboys roster. However, that could change once Williams is able to showcase his skills during training camp and the preseason. 

When Williams came out of Virginia Tech, he was an incredible prospect. However, a multitude of injuries and a coaching change limited his growth and got him released from the Arizona Cardinals. 

Williams is a powerful running back with excellent explosiveness. He is patient as a runner, and he has great one-cut ability, which is vital in the Cowboys' zone-blocking scheme. 

What Williams still needs to prove is that he can block. It is important that any running back on the roster knows how to pass protect, especially with Tony Romo's back issues. 

Overall, Williams' explosiveness should separate him from the pack. His ability to generate power at the point of attack is truly special. Williams is the best fit for the Cowboys running scheme, and that should be showcased during the preseason. 

Chris Whaley

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The forgotten man on the Cowboys defensive line is defensive tackle Chris Whaley. At the University of Texas, Whaley played like a third- or fourth-round pick. However, a knee injury against West Virginia derailed any hope he had of getting drafted. 

The Cowboys signed him as an undrafted free agent and basically redshirted him a year, allowing him to get healthy on injured reserve. 

In defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli's scheme, it is vital that the under tackle has the quickness to penetrate his gap and disrupt offenses in the backfield, which is exactly what Whaley brings to the table. 

He is a quick defensive lineman who can win with his first step alone. Furthermore, Whaley plays with great pad level and can limit the surface area for opposing offensive linemen to hit. He needs to get stronger at the point of attack, but that's an area you would hope he improved on while he was rehabbing his knee. 

The Cowboys don't have a player who has taken control of the backup under tackle spot on their roster. If Whaley plays at the same level he did in college, he should be able to sneak onto the Cowboys squad. 

Darrion Weems

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When the Cowboys drafted Laurence Gibson and Chaz Green, it appeared Darrion Weems would be pushed off the roster. However, with Gibson and Green dealing with injuries, the door has opened for Weems to make the final roster. 

People forget that Weems was battling with Jermey Parnell for the swing tackle position before he got injured last offseason. 

It appears as though Weems has bounced back well and had a good offseason thus far. DallasCowboys.com's Bryan Broaddus stated:

"

This year, with Doug Free still rehabbing his foot injury, Weems stepped in and did a fine job during the OTA practices at right tackle. He looked confident, comfortable and prepared to finally handle the responsibilities that will come with being that important piece of this offensive line. Weems will be the player that people are talking about when we come to the conclusion of this training camp. 

"

If Weems can carry that momentum to training camp and the preseason, there is no doubt that he will make the final roster over Gibson or Green. 

Weems has the athleticism and feet to be a fantastic tackle, but he needs to improve his punch and strength at the point of attack in the run game. If his head is in it, Weems has the potential to be a valuable part of the Cowboys offense.