Dez Bryant is finally ready to take off as a pass-catching star for Dallas

No one ever questioned his love of the game or his work ethic. "Dez is one of my favorite teammates I've ever had," says eight-time Pro Bowl tight end Jason

Dez Bryant has caught 27 TDs in three seasons with Dallas, including a career-high 12 last year :: Rich Schultz/Getty Images/SI

No one ever questioned his love of the game or his work ethic. "Dez is one of my favorite teammates I've ever had," says eight-time Pro Bowl tight end Jason Witten. "I gravitated toward him early because of his passion for the game. What's happening now is that he's raised the bar for himself. He's attacking meetings the way he attacks practices and games. He's becoming a true pro."

The Cowboys moved up in the 2010 draft to take Dez Bryant with the 24th pick :: Greg Nelson/SI

Better late than never.