5 breakout stars to watch for Dallas Cowboys in 2020

2. S Xavier Woods

We’re back in the Dallas secondary again, this time focusing on the safety position. Jeff Heath, who had been a solid player at safety the past few years, followed teammate Jason Witten out west to Las Vegas over the winter.

The Cowboys signed HaHa Clinton-Dix to fill the void Heath left, but his departure opens up more opportunities for Xavier Woods. The former sixth-round pick out of Louisiana Tech posted career highs across the board in 2019, including 77 tackles, two interceptions, two forced fumbles, and five passes defensed.

Woods has the ability to make plays and tackle, which are the ingredients necessary for dynamic safety play in the NFL. This is also a contract year for Woods, who will be highly motivated to play well and earn a big-money deal on the open market next winter.

The Cowboys will give a lot more responsibility in the back end to Woods now that Heath is gone, so he will get a chance to help call the signals in the defensive backfield. Woods’ role has steadily increased in each of the past three years so he should be up for a more prominent role in 2020.

The trajectory that Woods is on if it continues, suggests he could play up to a level that is nearly Pro Bowl-caliber. If Woods can turn into that type of player Dallas’ secondary could be lethal this season.