“My first day at the facility, I'm starting to get a little nervous just being here,” he said with a smile, strongly hinting at how surreal this moment was for him.
And to really give you an idea of the level of surrealism he's experiencing, the former second-team All-MAC (2023) from Western Michigan describes his emotions when the Cowboys moved up with the 56th overall pick. He explained the movements in detail.
He thought Dallas had missed him until his phone rang in the 972 area code.
“I was watching [the TV] I had 2 minutes and 30 seconds left, and they told me I was late, so I thought, “Oh, there's no way they're going to pick me up.'' Maybe they are already talking to the other guy,” he explained. [teams on the clock] At 2 minutes, my phone rang with a Texas number. I'm like, “Wait a minute!” There should be no delays. Fast streaming or something. ”
“When I answered the phone, I saw my name on the other end.” [broadcast] It was crazy. ”
But the reality will change quickly, especially when veterans join rookie teams and participate in organized team activities (OTAs) in the next two weeks starting May 21st.
“I am ready to learn and absorb a lot from my seniors and achieve as much as possible.”
The last part of this statement becomes almost mandatory when Wieland wears the jersey assigned to him, the heralded number 94. This jersey was recently worn by Randy Gregory, but he is more famous for being a Hall of Famer. DeMarcus Ware and Charles when he decorated Haley's shoulder pads and bib with fabric.
But Kneeland doesn't see that as additional pressure. Instead, he wants to ensure that the Cowboys will never allow another player to wear it after him.
“I just want to add to the tradition of this number,” Neeland said. “I want this number to be retired. Some great players have had that number.”
And while the Cowboys haven't officially announced his retirement, they hope the rookie second-round pick can maintain that energy throughout his career in Dallas.
It all starts this week as Kneeland takes his first steps on a thousand-mile journey.
