Smitty
DCC 4Life
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Rookie Presenting Poise, Confidence in Practice, Interviews
By Danny Webster | Yahoo! Contributor Network – 3 hours ago
Travis Frederick wasn't the immediate eye-opener when he was selected by the Dallas Cowboys late in the first round of the NFL Draft in April.
He's opening some eyes now, and in a good way.
Keep in mind, he's only been a member of the Cowboys for less than two months.
With him garnering those expectations of being a first-round pick, despite not having a first-round grade attached to him, Frederick has come off as a guy who knows what he's talking about when he's on the field.
In a large number of his interviews on DallasCowboys.com, the media has flocked to the former Wisconsin offensive lineman, most notably to ask how he's practicing and what he's learned, among other things. The thing with Frederick, is that he's not only calm with the media, but he knows how to talk about football in a tactical sense.
"I feel pretty comfortable right now with the offense," Frederick said after Monday's practice. "Still definitely a ways to go in my technique and my performance. I feel comfortable and confident to make calls."
One of the qualities that goes highly unnoticed in today's realm of sports is how well they can deliver a message in an interview. Whether that be talking to the general managers during the NFL Combine, or the media in general, if a player can handle him/herself in a communication setting, that's something to take note.
Some players, rookies especially, aren't the first set of players to think of that would be comfortable talking to 10-15 members of the media, especially when it comes to the Dallas media covering the Cowboys.
Frederick's poise in how he has conducted himself during practice and during interviews has truly been outstanding, which shows how much he has learned over the course of these last number of months, and what he's been taught at Wisconsin.
Having someone with that kind of confidence and eloquent speaking, believe it or not, goes a long way in determining the long-term success of a player. It's a trait that goes under the radar. There are players who possess all the talent in the world and can do anything they want on the football field, and there are players who you're not quite sure of, but know that their character can propel them to another level because they're willing to work, just by talking to them.
This rookie out of Wisconsin has done well enough in practice, as well, to validate that confidence as training camp approaches, which is exactly what Jason Garrett and Jerry Jones should be looking for, especially on the offensive line.
If he can have a decent rookie year up front, look no further than seeing Frederick and Tyron Smith to command attention from the other young/struggling players on that offensive line. He has the tools, and he's going to go through his annual rookie hazing, which is understandable.
Just by opening his mouth, there's some cause for excitement. Usually, it's the other way around for most.
Danny Webster is a featured columnist for the Dallas Cowboys. Contact him on Twitter by finding @DannyWebster21.
By Danny Webster | Yahoo! Contributor Network – 3 hours ago
Travis Frederick wasn't the immediate eye-opener when he was selected by the Dallas Cowboys late in the first round of the NFL Draft in April.
He's opening some eyes now, and in a good way.
Keep in mind, he's only been a member of the Cowboys for less than two months.
With him garnering those expectations of being a first-round pick, despite not having a first-round grade attached to him, Frederick has come off as a guy who knows what he's talking about when he's on the field.
In a large number of his interviews on DallasCowboys.com, the media has flocked to the former Wisconsin offensive lineman, most notably to ask how he's practicing and what he's learned, among other things. The thing with Frederick, is that he's not only calm with the media, but he knows how to talk about football in a tactical sense.
"I feel pretty comfortable right now with the offense," Frederick said after Monday's practice. "Still definitely a ways to go in my technique and my performance. I feel comfortable and confident to make calls."
One of the qualities that goes highly unnoticed in today's realm of sports is how well they can deliver a message in an interview. Whether that be talking to the general managers during the NFL Combine, or the media in general, if a player can handle him/herself in a communication setting, that's something to take note.
Some players, rookies especially, aren't the first set of players to think of that would be comfortable talking to 10-15 members of the media, especially when it comes to the Dallas media covering the Cowboys.
Frederick's poise in how he has conducted himself during practice and during interviews has truly been outstanding, which shows how much he has learned over the course of these last number of months, and what he's been taught at Wisconsin.
Having someone with that kind of confidence and eloquent speaking, believe it or not, goes a long way in determining the long-term success of a player. It's a trait that goes under the radar. There are players who possess all the talent in the world and can do anything they want on the football field, and there are players who you're not quite sure of, but know that their character can propel them to another level because they're willing to work, just by talking to them.
This rookie out of Wisconsin has done well enough in practice, as well, to validate that confidence as training camp approaches, which is exactly what Jason Garrett and Jerry Jones should be looking for, especially on the offensive line.
If he can have a decent rookie year up front, look no further than seeing Frederick and Tyron Smith to command attention from the other young/struggling players on that offensive line. He has the tools, and he's going to go through his annual rookie hazing, which is understandable.
Just by opening his mouth, there's some cause for excitement. Usually, it's the other way around for most.
Danny Webster is a featured columnist for the Dallas Cowboys. Contact him on Twitter by finding @DannyWebster21.