Prior to the celebration surrounding Jaylon Smith’s extension, Dallas Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett took to the podium for the clubs first Texas press conference of training camp. The majority of the time was spent on injury updates to key players, but Garrett did drop a couple gems on a young player expected to play a big role on the defensive side of the ball, safety Xavier Woods.

If the Cowboys are to reach the lofty heights they have set for themselves, then some young players will need to step up in a big way for the team. Perhaps the most deficient position on past Dallas teams has been in the defensive backfield. Since the halcyon days of former safety Darren Woodson, the Cowboys have struggled to find a player who can wreak havoc on a weekly basis.

Woods is hopefully the antidote to the Cowboys’ turnover woes. Garrett had this to say:

“I just think with a lot of players it’s a matter of playing and then you see their whole game round out. We thought a lot of him coming out of school, thought he was a very instinctive player, always around the ball. He’s got a good feel for the game … He has become more and more confident breaking on the ball and making plays, more and more confident as a tackler. He’s very physical but he has a savvy and instinct for the game which is very important for that position.”

There’s a baseline of physical traits required to play any position in the NFL, but it’s the instinct and savvy required that can turn a sufficient athlete into a great player, or submarine the career of a supreme athlete. For example, star cornerback Byron Jones started his career at safety but seemed to lack the wherewithal to navigate center field the way others at the position did with ease.

Woods has flashed this ability before, and it has become more apparent in training camp this year. Whether it was reading the play and jumping a route for a would-be pick six, or flying across the field for an interception, the third-year safety may be coming into his own.

He is often cited as a player turning the corner and blossoming into the game-wrecker the Cowboys have coveted for so long.

In an oft-ignored position in the draft, Woods may be a thrift store find for the ages. The Dallas defense ranked No. 26 in interceptions with a modest nine in 2018, but if Woods is able to live up to his head coach’s praise, fans can prepare for a turnaround.

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