It's not often an NFL player can say they've been fortunate enough to travel the same career arc as DeMarvion Overshown, who is living out his childhood dream — effective immediately
FRISCO, Texas — Once just a kid being raised in East Texas with cosmic aspirations of one day playing for the Dallas Cowboys, DeMarvion Overshown saw his lifelong dream realized on Day 2 of the 2023 NFL Draft. The former Texans Longhorn got the nod as Dallas' third-round pick, and he could not hold back his emotions when the moment arrived.
"It means the world." said Overshown, clearly still grinning to the point you could hear it in his voice during his follow-up conference call on Friday evening. "Growing up around Cowboys fans and getting that call where it says 'The Star' and hearing Jerry Jones' voice, that meant the world to me. It's a feeling that I'll cherish forever. I'll never forget it.
"The tears instantly started coming down my face once I saw that number. I couldn't have asked for a better situation. I'm blessed and I'm ready to get to work — I'm ready."
Overshown finished his career with the Longhorns having produced 165 tackles, 18 tackles for loss, five sacks, three fumble recoveries and an interception en route to earning honors as the Alamo Bowl Defensive MVP in 2020 and a First-Team All-Big 12 nod in 2022.
His versatility is his biggest attribute, along with his coverage ability, both stemming from his transition from a safety who was labeled a five-star recruit in 2018 by 247Sports and, at the time, the No. 1 safety in his class.
The Tyler, Texas native passed on offers from Georgia, Florida, Alabama, LSU and other high-profile programs to stay put in the Lone Star State, taking his talents to Austin instead. And if you'd like to know just how special he already is to the Cowboys, you should note he's literally the first defender from the University of Texas ever drafted in the Jerry Jones era.
It's quite possible Paxton Anderson, Jones' grandson who was also Overshown's lockermate/teammate with the Longhorns, helped grease the wheels — talk about Divine Intervention — something the latter can only be grateful for.
"I don't know what he told his grandpa about me, but Mr. Jones said it was an A+ — what he got from Paxton," said Overshown. "Whatever he said, it was good, and I love him for it."
Needless to say, great film spoke to the Joneses as well, and loudly.
Raised in Arp, Texas, located a little more than 20 minutes from Tyler and two hours from downtown Dallas, Overshown is the pride of a town that has roughly 1,000 residents — if that (it was censused at 926 in 2001).
His humility pours out through his words and actions, as does his work ethic, and he wants the Cowboys to understand they'll get every ounce of effort from him, no matter what they ask of him.
"Any and everywhere," he said of the team's initial plan for his role. "Right now, we're gonna start at the WILL (weakside LB) position, the last time I spoke with [Dan Quinn]. We really detailed that position, but anywhere, everywhere. He has a plan for me: just moving me around, kinda like what I was doing in college. [It's] kinda what you see right now with the Dallas defense — moving a lot of players around.
"… I know Coach Quinn has a plan for me. I'm just excited to work, whatever they need me to do, I'm gonna do it."
As for where the Cowboys had Overshown ranked on their board, the answer is simple. He was their BPA when the clock started running with the 90th-overall selection.
"The light was blinking, blinking, blinking," said Executive Vice President and Director of Player Personnel Stephen Jones.
Owner and general manager Jerry Jones co-signed the statement.
"He was a blue chip player [sitting] there for us," said Jones.
And Vice President of Player Personnel and scouting guru Will McClay rubber stamped it.
"Put on the tape," he said.
And so it goes: the Texas kid from humble beginnings turned into a headline player for the Texas Longhorns to carve his path to the one professional football team in Texas that has held his heart since the first time he could strap on a helmet.
Sometimes, the Stars simply align as they should.
