Two standout Dallas Cowboys players, offensive lineman Tyler Smith and return specialist KaVontae Turpin, have earned recognition for their outstanding individual performances in the 2024 season, despite the team’s overall struggles.
Smith, a 2022 first-round pick, established himself as one of the NFL’s top young guards. Among left guards with significant pass-blocking snaps, he posted an impressively low pressure rate of just 4.0%. His performance was particularly strong in one-on-one situations, where he allowed the best pressure rate in the league at 3.6%. Notably, over 363 isolated pass-blocking snaps, Smith did not allow a single sack all season.
Meanwhile, Turpin, who made a name for himself in the Spring League, dazzled with his exceptional kick return skills. He led the NFL with 904 kick return yards and recorded an impressive 292 yards above expected, the highest total in the last six seasons, surpassing Keisean Nixon’s 214 yards in 2022.
Turpin, a two-time Pro Bowler, made waves with his electrifying 99-yard kickoff return that helped the Cowboys secure a thrilling 34-26 upset over the Washington Commanders in Week 12. His remarkable speed also stood out, with a top speed of 21.85 mph on a 69-yard return in Week 17, marking the fastest kick return speed since 2020, although this play was nullified by a holding penalty. Despite that, Turpin reached a top speed of 21 mph or more on three separate returns, the most by any player in a single season since the Next Gen Stats era began in 2016.
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