(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. The series concludes today with wide receiver T.J. Vasher.)
How he got here: Vasher certainly isn't the only two-time All-State player on this roster. But, Vasher actually earned All-State honors in Texas in consecutive years for his basketball skills, becoming the only player in his school's history (Wichita Falls Rider) to accomplish that feat in both sports. Vasher was a high-flyer on the court, usually playing in front of packed jams to watch what become a highlight reel of dunks. But he took his skills to Lubbock, where he was a four-year standout for the Red Raiders on the football field. From 2016-2020, Vasher was a fan favorite of the Red Raiders, wowing the crowd with his jump-ball catches, especially in the red zone. Vasher finished his career tied for ninth in school history with 19 touchdown catches. He decided not to return for another season of college football, but went undrafted this past April.
What's next: Although Vasher signed with the Cowboys, a team he grew up idolizing in nearby Wichita Falls, which was a former training camp site of the organization from 1998-2001. But Vasher will have his work cut out for him to make the team, or even the practice squad. The Cowboys only drafted one receiver (Simi Fehoko in the fifth round) but picked up a handful of receivers after the draft, and many of which stand in the 6-4 to 6-5 range such as Vasher. So he's not the only vertical receiver who looks the part. But he can help his cause by creating some of those highlight plays that put him on the map early into his college career.
Bet you didn't know: Vasher earned the No. 1 spot on ESPN's SportsCenter's Top 10 plays back in September of 2018, the first weekend of college football that season. Vasher made a diving one-handed, diving catch down the sideline in a game against Ole Miss in a neutral site game in Houston.
