Former Iowa Star Struggling To Break Out With Cowboys

This former Iowa Hawkeyes star is having a hard time breaking through with the Dallas Cowboys.

Nov 21, 2020; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes defensive lineman Chauncey Golston (57) celebrates a defensive play with teammate linebacker Seth Benson (44) against the Penn State Nittany Lions during the first quarter at Beaver Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-Imagn Images / Rich Barnes-Imagn Images

Former Iowa Hawkeyes star Chauncey Golston is now in his fourth NFL season with the Dallas Cowboys, and while the defensive end has developed into a solid rotational player, he has not quite broken out like Cowboys fans had hoped.

Through the first nine games of 2024, Golston has tallied 31 couple and a couple of sacks. The two sacks are already a career high, and he is one tackle away from tying his lifetime best in that category, but it still feels underwhelming.

Golston actually boasts a rather impressive 72.1 grade from Pro Football Focus, but it is not translating into legitimate production.

The 26-year-old was selected by Dallas in the third round of the 2021 NFL Draft and immediately began earning playing time during his rookie campaign, registering 32 stops, a sack and a fumble recovery.

Golston went on to post rather similar numbers the following two seasons, and since entering the league, he has accumulated a grand total of 5.5 sacks.

That's a rather thin number for a player who showed such considerable potential at Iowa, when he racked up 45 tackles, nine tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks, an interception and a forced fumble in his final collegiate campaign.

Golston is a member of a Cowboys pass rush that also includes Micah Parsons and DeMarvion Overshown. Plus, Dallas has Osa Odighizuwa to eat up blockers on the interior.

You would then think that Golston would be freed up for more sacks, but it has not happened just yet.

We'll see if Golston has a second gear in him during the second half of the season.