Why Mike McCarthy likened Dallas Cowboys rookie Hunter Luepke to this former Packers FB

When the Dallas Cowboys signed Hunter Luepke as an undrafted rookie out of North Dakota State and gave him $200,000 in guaranteed money you knew they had a vision and plan for the player.

Now that Luepke has lived up to expectations and made the roster as one of the backups to starter Tony Pollard, along with Rico Dowdle and Deuce Vaughn, the vision to has been revealed.

Picture former Green Bay Packers fullback John Kuhn, who played under then-Packers coach Mike McCarthy from 2007 to 2015.

Like Luepke, Kuhn starred in college at as small school (Shippensburg) and arrived in the NFL as an undrafted free agent with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

But he didn’t find his groove until he landed with the Packers as an ideal fullback in the McCarthy’s West Coast offense. He became a fan favorite in Green Bay because of his ability as a lead blocker in the run game, pass catcher and roles special teams.

“John is an excellent comparable because that has been used in our conversations,” McCarthy said. “If you recall, John was very productive, productive one-back runner at Shippensburg and Hunter has those skills. His versatility is what we’re excited about. He gives us the lead blocking ability in two back. He’s got good hands, good receiver, very bright. The protection part of it he has picked up for rookie very well.

“And then there’s a lot of high special teams value. You have guy like John who can be a staple over there for four or five years. I see Hunter in the same light.”

Cowboys assistant director of personnel Will McClay likened Luepke to a Swiss army knife.

Luepke’s versatility certainly stood out at North Dakota State where he caught passes, he carried the ball and took snaps as a “wildcat” player.

He ran for 1,665 yards and 24 touchdowns on 274 attempts in 43 career games. He also added 38 receptions for 494 yards and nine touchdowns.

Luepke has been everything the Cowboys hoped he would.

“I just took every opportunity and ran with it,” Luepke said. “I think they like how quick I learned our offensive scheme with pass pro. I really took pride in learning everything that I possibly could.”

“I am trying to be he most versatile player I can be. Help in every situation possible whether that be run game, pass game . . . special teams especially.”

The Cowboys knew what they had in Luepke after a strong training camp but he showed the rest of the NFL his skills in the preseason final against the Las Vegas Raiders.

He rushed for 58 yards on 15 carries and caught five catches for 60 yards, including a 15-yard touchdown reception.

The way Luepke described his running style was right out of the book of Kuhn.

“Physical,” Luepke said. “I am not the fastest guy. I try to run with my weight and keep my pads low and go with my legs.”

The Cowboys took no chances when it came to final cuts as they keep him on the roster, rather than try to sneak him on the practice squad.

Still, it led to some uneasy moments for Luepke before he got the final word on Tuesday. There are no guarantees in the mind of undrafted player.

“Hours were ticking by and I was getting nervous, but I felt good at the end of the day,” Luepke said. “I called my wife and she said to just put the phone down.”

Luepke was soon able to call his wife back and share the good news.

“She was just super happy for me. She knows the hours that I’ve put in playing football. She was very excited for me and excited for our future.”

“It was awesome,” Luepke added. “It was a special time. I’ve worked hard for this my whole life and I got the chance to make this team, and I made the most of it.”