FRISCO, TX — When the Dallas Cowboys step foot into Cleveland Browns Stadium on Sept. 8, it will mark the single biggest moment in the football life of DeMarvion Overshown. The East Texas native that grew up idolizing America’s Team will, for the first time ever, take the field for an NFL regular season game with the Star on his helmet.
It's all made that much more poignant by the events of 2023, when the former Longhorn went from flying high after getting the nod as the team's third-round pick in April to suffering the worst injury of his life by way of a torn ACL in August that forced him into a redshirt season.
"I feel great," said Overshown through his trademark ear-to-ear smile. "Just making it to the season healthy is a plus, so we're already doing better than last year."
Held out of the final few practices in Oxnard as well as the preseason finale against the Los Angeles Chargers due to a hip pointer, Overshown returned to full padded duty this week in Dallas and is full go for the regular season opener.
His absence at the back end of training camp was precautionary, and nothing more.
"I felt great even going into the last [preseason] week," he explained. "It was just making sure I was healthy enough for Week 1 and making sure there were no bumps or bruises, or something that could've been avoided."
Having added muscle to his frame and moving as well as he ever has, the expectation is that it should take no time at all for Overshown to find his NFL legs, regardless of one of them housing a reconstructed knee, seeing as he's coming off of yet another exceptional training camp.
But, this time, he's walking into the month of September completely whole.
That includes mentally as well.
"It's a blessing to be able to strap on my cleats again," he said. "It's a lot of guys who called it a career [on cutdowns day] and the day before that. Just being able to do it — I'm already excited about playing football, in general, but doing it with this organization and with my brothers who've seen the process of me rehabbing, doing everything I could to get back to playing in regular season games; and all of the emotions, excitement is there.
"I'm ready to strap 'em up, for real."
Given the state of the Cowboys' linebacker affairs in 2023 in the absence of Overshown, it's safe to say they're just as ready to see him do it. As is everyone who's witnessed his journey from East Texas to Austin and then to Dallas.
A born and bred Cowboy takes center stage in Cleveland.
