OXNARD, Calif. - Of the many NFL firsts rookie Leighton Vander Esch is experiencing during Cowboys training camp -- including running the defensive huddle and earning a pair of stitches -taking the field for Thursday night's preseason opener at San Francisco will rank near the top.
Dallas' 2018 first-round draft pick has never previously attended an NFL game.
"I think it's pretty awesome," said Vander Esch, 22. "It's hard to put into words right now knowing my first NFL game I'll be to is one that I'm actually playing in."
It's not like the beefy 6-4, 255-pound middle linebacker had a convenient option growing up in remote Riggins, Idaho or when he went on to star at Boise State.