Dallas Cowboys to sign former UFL linebacker Willie Harvey Jr.
The Dallas Cowboys will reportedly sign linebacker Willie Harvey Jr. this week after hosting him for a workout, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. The former Iowa State Cyclones standout is coming off of a productive season in the UFL with the St. Louis BattleHawks.
Harvey finished the 2024 season in the UFL with 78 tackles and four sacks in 10 games. He led the league in tackles, quickly drawing the eyes of NFL scouts. The 28-year-old also led all linebackers in tackles for loss with nine, as well as passes defended (six) and forced fumbles (two). His production led to him landing a spot on the All-UFL Team.
Harvey has been with the BattleHawks since 2023. He originally signed with the Cleveland Browns as an undrafted free agent in 2019 and played four games in three seasons after going undrafted. The Browns waived him in August of 2022, leading to the BattleHawks drafting him in November of that year.
Once signed, Harvey will join a linebacker room with Micah Parsons, Eric Kendricks, Damone Clark and Markquese Bell, as well as younger additions like DeMarvion Overshown and Marist Liufau.
Cowboys workout more UFL defenders
After wrapping up mandatory minicamp, the team also hosted UFL cornerbacks Gareon Conley and Deandre Baker, as well as linebacker Noah Dawkins, for workouts.
Conley and Baker are both former first-round draft picks. The Raiders drafted Conley with the No. 24 overall pick in the 2017 NFL draft out of Ohio State. The New York Giants snagged Baker at No. 30 overall in 2019 out of Georgia. Both cornerbacks spent the 2023 UFL season with the DC Defenders.
Meanwhile, Noah Dawkins, a former standout at The Citadel, began his NFL career with the Buccaneers and Jets from 2019-2021. Last year, he played for the UFL’s Michigan Panthers, notching 38 tackles.
Baker had a great rookie season for the Giants in 2019. However, an arrest for armed robbery put him on the commissioner’s exempt list, leading to New York waiving him before the 2020 season. After charges were dropped, the Kansas City Chiefs added him to the roster. He played in 10 games for the Chiefs before breaking his femur.
Conley had a good run with the Raiders before they traded him to the Houston Texans in 2019. He went on injured reserve before moving to the UFL. This year for the Defenders, he notched two interceptions.