Cowboys Sign Skipper

DALLAS – The Dallas Cowboys announced the signing of former Arkansas offensive lineman Dan Skipper on Wednesday.

One of just six offensive linemen in program history to earn All-SEC honors twice in a career, Skipper helped block for Arkansas’ offenses to eclipse 5,000 total yards during each his freshman, junior and senior years. The Arvada, Colorado, product, earned AFCA FBS Coaches’ All-America Team honors and was selected to the All-SEC first team by both the league’s coaches and the Associated Press this past season after earning All-SEC Coaches second team acclaim in 2015.

Skipper finished his collegiate career with 47 consecutive starts on the offensive line – the second-longest streak in program history – with 26 coming at left tackle, 13 at right tackle and eight at left guard.

During his Razorback tenure, Skipper opened rushing lanes for three different running backs to combine for five 1,000-yard seasons across his four years, including current Seattle Seahawks running back Alex Collins, who was one of just three players in SEC history to run for 1,000 yards in each of his first three seasons.

A team captain and one of three players to be named SEC Lineman of the Week twice in 2016, Skipper started all 13 games at left tackle and helped pave the way for sophomore running back Rawleigh Williams III to capture the SEC regular-season rushing title with 1,326 yards on the ground, while junior quarterback Austin Allen paced the SEC with 3,430 passing yards, including a league-best 2,291 in conference play. Williams topped the century mark seven times on the ground, while Allen put together four 300-plus yard passing games. The Razorbacks manufactured 428.4 yards of total offense per game, highlighted by five games with both 200 yards rushing and passing.

All three of Skipper’s career offensive lineman of the week awards came over the last 16 weeks of SEC regular season action, while he also added an SEC Special Teams Player of the Week accolade to his collection in 2016.

In 2015, Skipper was part of an offensive line that led the SEC for the third consecutive season in fewest sacks allowed with just 14 sacks given up in 13 games. He finished second on the team with an 83 percent offensive grade over 900 snaps, earning an 80 percent grade or better in a team-best 12 games, including the final seven. In addition, the Razorbacks led the SEC with five 200-yard rushing games in league play after combining for just five in the previous two seasons. Arkansas was tops in the SEC with 34.4 points per conference.

Skipper led the 2014 Arkansas offensive line with a grade of 80 percent, blocking for running backs Collins and Jonathan Williams, who were the only FBS teammates to each rush for 1,000-plus yards during that season.

As a freshman, Skipper played in all 12 games and started the last eight at offensive guard and blocked a school-record three field goal attempts. He was named a Freshman All-American after helping Collins become the second freshman in school history and 10th true freshman in SEC history to rush for 1,000 yards. The offensive line also broke the single-season school record by only allowing 8.0 sacks as Arkansas led the SEC and tied for second in the NCAA with an average of 0.67 sacks allowed per game.

For his career, Skipper blocked seven field goal attempts, just two off the FBS record.

For more information on Razorback Football, follow @RazorbackFB on Twitter.