Undrafted Rookie Safety Stuns Cowboys Camp With Jaw-Dropping Defensive Plays

While the Cowboys’ locker room has been filled with headlines — from Micah Parsons’ trade request to injuries shaking the offensive line — a quiet storm is brewing on the other side of the ball. And it’s coming from someone who didn’t even hear his name called on Draft Day.

The early days of training camp are always a battle for relevance. But in the chaos of depth chart shifts and practice intensity, one undrafted rookie safety has repeatedly made his case — not with words, but with plays that made even the veterans take notice.

During Saturday's live team drills, a deep route over the middle was perfectly timed — until a hard hit jarred the ball loose. Just two plays later, the very same safety snatched an interception intended for wideout Traeshon Holden, showing both awareness and athleticism that you don’t expect from a rookie without pedigree.

Originally from Camden, N.J., Alijah Clark started his college career at Rutgers before transferring to Syracuse in 2022, where he started for three seasons. At Syracuse, he tallied 183 total tackles, nine pass breakups, and multiple fumble recoveries — but questions about size and polish kept him from being drafted.

Now, he's rewriting that narrative in Oxnard.

Cowboys coaches have quietly raved about his ball skills and composure in live drills. Even Troy Pride Jr., a seasoned CB fighting for his own spot, turned to celebrate after Clark snagged that interception — a sign of respect among defenders that’s rarely given, especially to a UDFA.

Clark’s journey is far from over, but his stock is undeniably rising. With a strong performance in the Cowboys’ upcoming preseason opener against the Rams, he could turn camp hype into a roster spot — and maybe even more.