FRISCO, Texas — It's been a storybook football tale for DeMarvion Overshown, a born-and-bred East Texan who went on to play for the Longhorns before getting the nod as a third-round pick for the Dallas Cowboys this past April but, as with any heartfelt story, he's run up against a dark challenge.
In the midst of a stellar first training camp and preseason, one that's led head coach Mike McCarthy to label Overshown as "the star of the rookie class" thus far, the native of Arp, Texas suffered a torn ACL — on yet another one of his impressive defensive plays, this time coming in the first quarter against the Seattle Seahawks.
"It was just a routine tackle," he said. "I tried to get back up. I felt something, but I thought I would be able to go back out there; but they ended up checking it and I'm dealing with that now but, like I said, I'm blessed."
And with that, a promising rookie season is no more.
"It's another chapter of my story," Overshown said on Wednesday, still wearing his signature ear-to-ear smile. "I'm going to enjoy it, you know? I preach my testimony all of the time and now I get a chance to show people how I really live, and how I really abide by my trust in The One Above. I'm going to take this time to really dive into football and to get my body right, and take my time on this knee to come back better than ever.
"... I walked off, they didn't want me to jog. I thought I was going to be able to come back and finish the rest of the game, but God had other plans."
The former First-Team All-Big 12 talent has yet to undergo surgery to repair the knee, but that will happen soon enough. In the meantime, he was present at the Cowboys first padded practice in Frisco to help keep the energy high for his teammates.
"I'm still blessed to be here," said Overshown. "I'm going to be around just as much as if I was on the field. I'm definitely going to bring that same energy that I was bringing to the sideline and keep it throughout the locker room, and now I've got a different role on the team — that's bringing the juice. And I'm going to do that."
The team is looking to help inspire his comeback by connecting him with Hall of Fame receiver Michael Irvin, who tore his ACL in the second year of what went on to become one of the greatest careers in the history of the league.
Overshown is looking forward to that connection, as much as he's looking forward to the rehabilitation process itself.
"This is nothing new to me," he explained. "I respect the grind and, like I said, I got a taste of what it feels like to be a pro. I'm ready to attack this recovery and get back. I'm not [disappointed] at all — not at all. It's just another bump in the road. I'm ready to share my testimony after I come back from this.
"... An injury is an injury. It's all about the mindset. If you attack it the right way, you'll be fine."
As noted above, it was an eye-popping first camp for the former Longhorn, and it sets the stage for a comeback story that could be one of the best in the NFL, and one Overshown himself is confident can play out like that of Irvin's in yesteryear.
He'll use this time going forward to sharpen himself mentally as well as physically — reflecting on all of the positives he put on practice and preseason film that will allow him to start building.
"Training camp No. 1, I felt like it went [well]," he said. "I get to look at it as something to build off of now. I have this time to take care of my body and to get right, to really learn the game. I definitely felt like I went out there and did what I wanted to do, but there's still a lot more that I know that I'm capable of, and I can't wait to show you guys."
Having overcome so many odds to make it to this point in his life, don't count Overshown out now simply because of a knee injury, regardless of how devastating it might seem.
He's not allowed his chin to drop one centimeter from where it was prior to the injury.
"I'm blessed and highly favored," said the talented rookie. "I still get to rock this Star everywhere I go. I'm looking forward to next year."
