FRISCO, Texas — There's a new face heading to the Dallas Cowboys locker room as they begin the conclusion of mandatory minicamp, but it's someone they're not entirely unfamiliar with — considering he played college ball down the road.
Ben Banogu, a defensive end who found his way to the NFL as a second-round pick out of TCU, was signed to the roster on Wednesday.
He joins a loaded defensive line that continues to throw talent at the edges, and defensive coordinator Dan Quinn is intrigued with what Banogu might bring into training camp as a former two-time First-Team All-Big 12 honoree.
A native of Nigeria, the former Horned Frog was selected by the Colts in 2019, where he's played ever since, at least prior to Quinn and head coach Mike McCarthy getting their hands on him this summer.
Banogu joins a pass rush group headlined by Micah Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence, and one that isn't lacking for immediate depth when factoring in Dorance Armstrong's career-best season in 2022, the return of Dante Fowler and the expected level up from former second-round pick Sam Williams — not to mention the coming ability for rookie first-round pick to flex, so forth and so on.
The ability and skill set for Banogu to make some waves in training camp is evident, however, in looking at his film from the collegiate days in Fort Worth. If he can hit the ground running when the team touches down in Oxnard, he'll make an already thrilling position battle at the defensive edge that much more so.
