DeMarvion Overshown has the speed to keep up with his two-time All-Pro pass rushing teammate, Micah Parsons, and even surpass him.
The second-year linebacker for the Dallas Cowboys now has a signature play to show off, too.
Overshown’s stunning 23-yard interception return for a touchdown against the New York Giants on Thanksgiving was the type of moment Parsons and others had been hoping for, even before Overshown’s rookie season was cut short due to a knee injury.
“I said from the beginning, he reminds me of somebody,” Parsons said. “Now, he ain’t 11 yet! That’s Agent 0. I think he has his own, creative identity and that’s what I like. He’s not trying to be like me.”
Overshown, who is considering going back to the college number he wore at Texas instead of the 13 he currently has with the Cowboys, will get another chance to shine at home on Monday night against Cincinnati (4-8).
“He said it right. He said I’m not quite 11, but I’m 13,” Overshown said. “And that’s all we need. We don’t need two No. 11s. We got an 11, and we got a 13.” And maybe another rising star.
Parsons was coming off his second All-Pro selection when the Cowboys drafted Overshown in the third round last year. Unfortunately, Overshown tore a knee ligament during a preseason game shortly after being drafted.
The small-town Texas guy who takes pride in his rural roots never stopped smiling while telling reporters that he would return in a year.
“I always say who I was in front of the camera was who I was throughout my whole journey,” Overshown said. “There’s definitely days where, you know, every day is not your best day. But you think about that a couple seconds and then you think about what tomorrow brings. It brightens your day.”
Dallas head coach Mike McCarthy believes that there is a lot for rookies to learn, and that not playing in the regular season wasn’t as big of a setback as some might think.
“He did grow, whether he realized it or not,” McCarthy said. “Just like any player that comes into the league, there are things you just have to go through in your first year. The second year … the expectation of what every day brings is easier. He’s been a very mature, consistent player and person for us.”
Overshown spent five years at Texas and turned 23 just before his season-ending injury. He’ll be 25 when his third regular season begins.
Being a little older has made him more focused on his return from injury.
“You get a year off, but it really wasn’t a year off because I’m expected to be a year two player and not be a year one player when I come back,” Overshown said. “So I definitely took that time off as, ‘I’m not getting the game experience, but I’m going to get this off-the-field experience and I’m going to get dang near close to if I played last year.’”
Overshown played a season-low 18 snaps in Week 2 when the Cowboys gave up touchdowns on New Orleans’ first six possessions during their 44-19 loss.
First-year defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer explained that the Cowboys used more base packages in that game, which didn’t include Overshown.
However, since then, Overshown has played every defensive snap in four games and has been off the field for just one defensive play in the past three weeks. Dallas has won two straight games after a five-game losing streak.
“It’s more about when he first came back, we were trying to get him settled in with one personnel group,” Zimmer said. “He’s got a unique asset of strength and speed and power. When he gets to the football, he’s got physicality and usually he can get to the ball. You don’t want to take a guy like that off the field if you can help it.”
When asked about the potential of him and Overshown becoming a pair, Parsons hinted with a smile and suggested he might spend more time off the line in future years, as he did earlier in his career before focusing more on being a pass rusher.
“You just never know,” Parsons said. “Just me and him. Rock the show.”
For now, Overshown plans to continue playing off the attention Parsons draws at the line of scrimmage, while looking for ways to change the game.
One way or another, Overshown believes he and Parsons can work well together. They are currently the team’s top two sack leaders, with Parsons having 6 1/2 sacks and Overshown having five.
“It’s going to open up our defense a whole lot when they start respecting 13 as well,” Overshown said. “Micah, he’d probably say the same. It’s going to be one of these games where they’re going to have to put some respect on 13 and it’s just not going to be able to triple-team 11 the whole game.”
Overshown has the highlight play to back it up.
