Steve Sarkisian lauds Dallas Cowboys draft picks DeMarvion Overshown, Deuce Vaughn

Texas coach Steve Sarkisian was in Dallas Thursday night firing up Longhorns fans at the Texas Fight Tour stop at Ferris Wheelers Backyard and BBQ, located at 1950 Market Center Boulevard.

As much as he was excited about the upcoming 2023 season for the Longhorns and arguably the most heralded quarterback room in the history of the program with starter Quinn Ewers and backups Malik Murphy and Arch Manning, Sarkisian was equally excited about Longhorns linebacker DeMarvion Overshown and his future with the Dallas Cowboys.

Overshown was a third-round pick of the Cowboys in the 2023 NFL after a standout career at Texas where he made All-Big 12 honors as senior in 2022.

Sarkisian called Overshown a perfect for the Cowboys and defensive coordinator Dan Quinn because of his versatility and back ground as a safety before moving to linebacker.

Sarkisian was Quinn’s offensive coordinator two seasons with the Atlanta Falcons and knows him well.

“I’m fired up for the Cowboys and I’m fired up for DeMo,” Sarkisian said. “I think he’s a perfect fit. I worked with Dan Quinn for two years in Atlanta. That defense is predicated on playing fast and being physical. And at the end of the day, versatility really helps in that system too. And I think DeMo provides that. We utilized him even coming off the edge some this year as a pass rusher. We saw it obviously with DQ last year with Micah Parsons and moving him around. So I think DeMo’s versatility can play into that.

“He’s a runner. He’s a hitter he’s got great speed and I know he loves ball so I just I just think it’s an awesome fit.”

Sarkisian also had a good evaluation of former Kansas State running back Deuce Vaughn, who was picked in the sixth round by the Cowboys.

Despite being 5-foot-5, 179 pounds, Vaughn lit Texas up for 159 and 150 total yards and two touchdowns in 2022 and 2021, respectively.

Sark compared him to former undersized NFL star running back Darren Sproles, who also played in college at Kansas State.

“He’s a stud,” Sarkisian said. “He killed us and just about everybody else. And he’s such a versatile player. He can run the ball and run the ball between the tackles. You saw that against Alabama. He is an incredible route runner and receiver out of the backfield. And I think he fits the NFL game that way. You hate comparing guys to people. But I think about Darren Sproles. I had to coach against him. They just seem so eerily similar.

“Darren Sproles had a heck of an NFL career. So I think Deuce is primed for a pretty pretty good career as well.”

Getting back to the Longhorns, Sarkisian sheepishly admitted that “we’re pretty lucky in the quarterback room right now.”

Ewers was a five-star recruit out Southlake Carroll in 2021 and he is already getting mocked as a potential first-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.

Murphy was a four-star recruit in 2022 and Manning, the nephew of NFL legends Peyton Manning and Eli Manning, was the No. 1 ranked quarterback in the Class of 2023.

Sarkisian credits his background as a quarterback guru who puts players in the NFL, dating back to his time as the offensive coordinator at Southern California, for his success a recruiting quarterbacks at Texas.

“We have coaches that aspire to become coordinators, and then head coaches,” Sarkisian said. “We always have to remember what our calling card is, what our specialty is. I grew up a quarterback coach. That’s what I did. When I became a coordinator. I still coach the quarterbacks. I became a head coach. I still call the plays and coach the quarterbacks. So the idea being you can recruit quarterbacks pretty well. I think our track record kind of speaks for itself.

“I think we have in the last 20 years I have five quarterbacks get drafted in the top 10 picks for the NFL Draft. So it’s a little bit attractive to come play in our system to get developed.”

Sarkisian called Quinn a fantastic talent who should take a big step in his second year as a starter.

“Generally, in our system in Year Ywo is when you make those strides and become that elite player,” Sarkisian said. “I saw it with [former USC quarterback] Carson Palmer in Year Two, he wins the Heisman Trophy ends up being the first pick in the draft. I saw it with Matt Leinart. I saw Jake locker [at Washington]. He ends up being the 10th pick in the draft. So I’ve seen it years and years of playing in our system. I love what Quinn brings.”

Sarkisian said he loves what Murphy brings to the table and said his outstanding play in the spring game was just the beginning.

He asked for patience with Manning, who is already drawing buzz and attention because of famous last name.

“We live in a world of instant gratification. I live in a world of development,” Sarkisian said. “And when your number is called you play great. So I know everybody wants to see number 16 on the field as fast as we can get him there. I want to make sure when we get him on the field, he could play like the player that he expects to be.”

The Texas Fight Tour continues on Thursday night in Fort Worth at the Fort Worth Stockyards Station.