Safety Measures
Tyler Coyle went undrafted, but his speed and jumping ability looked more than enticing at his NFL Pro Day
(Editor's Note: With the offseason program in the rearview mirror, it's time to look ahead. As part of the preparation for training camp, this series will introduce 25 key players who are new to the Cowboys' roster, rookies and veterans alike. We'll continue the series with safety Tyler Coyle.)
How He Got Here: After playing in over 30 games during a successful career at UConn (261 tackles and three interceptions), Coyle was a graduate transfer at Purdue last year, where he played a shortened Big 10 season. In three games with Purdue, he showed versatility by lining up at linebacker. He was undrafted, but clearly the Cowboys had their eyes on him prior to the entire draft process. He ran a 4.36 40-yard dash during his Pro Day. Shortly after the conclusion of the draft the Cowboys signed him hoping he might prove to the coaching staff that he has value on special teams or even at safety.
What's Next: The challenge for any undrafted free agent is to come away from training camp with a spot on the 53-man roster. That will be a particularly tough task this year considering all the draft picks the Cowboys had in 2021 who will, in theory, have a leg up on the undrafted guys. Coyle has a lot of qualities you'd hope for in a guy that it's nice to have available in the locker room. Five years of college, including a graduate season, speaks well of his maturity. The other big notion working in Coyle's favor is that the team did not use any of those draft picks on a safety, and Damontae Kazee, who they signed in free agency, is coming off of a major injury. Coyle may have never become a star in college, but it's pretty undeniable that he brings athleticism and speed to the safety position, which is a big question mark for the defense at the moment. If Coyle can use training camp to prove that he's a reliable special teams player then it may justify keeping him on the roster and having another option at safety. The practice squad is another likely option for Coyle.
Bet You Didn't Know: Coyle was a star in track and field during his high school career in Connecticut, specifically high jump, long jump, and the 4x200 relay. In fact, in the 2015-2016 season he was the first high school athlete in the entire nation to clear 6-feet, 10 inches in his high jump that season. It's no wonder he succeeded at safety.
Quotable: "Honestly, I'm still mad I got a 39-inch vertical. Overall, I thought it was an A- or B+ type of performance." -Tyler Coyle, on his Pro Day showing
