Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy praises rookie Eric Scott Jr. earning first-team reps

As the Dallas Cowboys begin mandatory minicamp on Tuesday, one new face on the field is drawing extra attention. Sixth-round draft pick Eric Scott Jr. had spectators checking their roster sheets last week when he stepped in for first-team reps.

Scott, now sporting No. 37 for the Cowboys, took reps for Stephon Gilmore when he was out and earned copious praise from head coach Mike McCarthy on Tuesday.

“Eric Scott’s been impressive since he came in on his 30 visit,” McCarthy said. “The humility that he showed, did a great job in his interview. His physical traits and abilities speak for themselves.

“In terms of first impressions, he’s top of the class. He’s earned the opportunity to get those reps.”

The Cowboys traded up one spot when drafting Scott to start the sixth round. They had already traded for the veteran Gilmore in free agency, negating their need to find an immediate starter in the draft. Scott, however, appears to be off to a fast start in his career in Dallas.

Hailing from Southern Miss, Scott began his collegiate career at Butler C.C. He transferred to Southern Miss where he made five starts in his first season with one interception. He worked his way up to 11 starts as a junior. The 6-foot-2, 202-pound corner’s journey to the league has undoubtedly helped shape his sense of humility.

Scott fills in for Gilmore on first team

“Scott is a big defensive back with long arms and big hands,” ESPN analyst Steve Muench wrote ahead of the draft. “He picked off four passes over the past two seasons and returned both of his 2022 interceptions for touchdowns. He didn’t run well at his Pro Day, but he’s quicker than fast.”

The Cowboys could use some reliable backups in the secondary with Jourdan Lewis currently still recovering from a Lisfranc injury. They struck gold on fifth-rounder DaRon Bland. The rookie cornerback led the defense with five interceptions last season.

Scott is just one of the rookies to keep an eye on when the Cowboys begin training camp in Oxnard next month. First-round pick Mazi Smith has already met the coaches’ expectations so far as well.

“No doubt (meeting expectations),” McCarthy said of Smith last week. “For a guy like Mazi, you can’t wait to see him in pads. He’s ready to show everybody.

“We said this during the evaluation process, we feel there’s a lot more pass rush potential than he showed in his college career. He’s off to a really good start.”