FRISCO, Texas – With two weeks to digest the news, Trysten Hill is a bit more composed this time around.
Given the emotions of draft night, it's hard to blame him.
"You can't prepare for when that phone call comes through, so I was shaking a little bit but it was worth it," Hill said on Thursday afternoon.
The Cowboys used to hold rookie minicamp the week after the draft, which didn't give their new additions a ton of time to dwell on things. These days, though, they hold their orientation two weeks later, so Hill and all his rookie classmates have had time to digest the news – although it's fair if they still can't articulate the magnitude of the moment.
"Me being able to sit here and say that I'm going to be in that locker room, be around those guys and working with those guys – I'm speechless, I can't imagine. I don't have the words to really express it," he said.
Thursday was check-in day, complete with physicals and player photos, but it'll get much realer on Friday. The weekend will serve as an in-depth orientation, with meetings, walkthroughs and some light practice sessions.
If Hill doesn't have words for it yet, he and his classmates will soon.
Here are some other notes from the rookies' check-in:
5 Positions?
Cowboys coach Jason Garrett loves to use the term "position-flex." And one of the reasons Connor McGovern was picked in the third round was his ability to play guard and center. That's one of the things McGovern wants to show this weekend, if not a little more.
"I definitely want to show them my versatility. I think it's one of my biggest attributes," McGovern said. "Being able to play guard, center and even tackle with my height and weight. I want to be able to show that I can play five positions on the field."
Big Brother Zeke
Ezekiel Elliott is certainly used to having a strong relationship with his backup running back. While he was college teammates at Ohio State with Rod Smith, who just signed with the Giants this week, Zeke is now getting to play with another former Buckeye in Mike Weber, the Cowboys' seventh-round pick.
"He's like a big brother to me," Weber said of Elliott. "When I got to Ohio State, he showed me the ropes. And he can show me the ropes now. I'm sure we'll have a lot of fun together."
Weber, a redshirt freshman during Zeke's junior season at Ohio State in 2015, rushed for 2,676 yards and 24 touchdowns in the next three years.
Joe Cool?
There were several bright-eyed rookies walking around The Star on Thursday, somewhat in awe of their new team headquarters. But fifth-round pick Joe Jackson probably wasn't one of them.
He might be excited on the end zone, but his no-nonsense demeanor was evident, especially when asked if his "head was spinning" as he tried to get acclimated.
"No I'm always ready to work. There's no reason for my head to be spinning," Jackson said. "I'm fortunate to be drafted, but I'm always ready to work."
