Cowboys Crash Course: Meet 'The Seat Belt'

The Dallas Cowboys' season-ending injury for cornerback Trevon Diggs in a sense shocked the system, maybe leading the team down a path to find reinforcements in 2024. That search led them to cornerback Caelen Carson, a rookie who's shutdown corner mindset and physical play style he hopes can translate to the NFL.

At Wake Forest, Carson earned the nickname "Seat Belt.'' Why?

"It was my freshman year in college,'' he said. "I started as a true freshman; my teammate and roommate told me, 'Damn, you're always locking somebody up. You're like a seat belt!''

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When the Cowboys drafted fifth-rounder Carson, they saw a press corner with the versatility to play both the inside and outside positions. At 6-0 and 199 pounds, Carson looks the part, though some believe his speed could be a problem.

But at the combine, he ran a 4.48 40-yard dash, not far from the Cowboys' top corner Diggs who ran a 4.42 40-yard dash. Easing concerns over his ability to stay with receivers at the next level.

In the draft interviews, Carson knew what teams were looking for, and how his play style could transition to the NFL. Whether it was the zone or press-man coverage he was known for.

"The teams that were looking at me in the draft, they wanted versatility, and I think I showed that I can play inside or outside,'' he said. "[I'm] covering somebody, regardless. ... It doesn't really matter to me. … I can cover anywhere, so I feel comfortable."

His confidence caught the attention of assistant head coach/defensive backs coach Al Harris, who has taken Carson under his wing since he arrived in Dallas.

Said Harris: "He's going to end up making a lot of plays."

That's precisely what the Cowboys are hoping to get from Carson, who has a chance to work his way up the depth chart, igniting a training camp battle with veteran cornerback Nahshon Wright to backup starting cornerbacks Trevon Diggs and DaRon Bland. ... if he can get himself buckled up in adjusting to the NFL.