The bright lights of Dallas are a stark difference from Riggins, Idaho, from where Cowboys first round pick Leighton Vander Esch hails. Indeed, the population of Riggins is 406, which could squeeze into a few sections at vast AT&T stadium, the venue that will host Vander Esch for the foreseeable future.
Riggins is a small town on the west edge of Idaho’s panhandle, about three hours from Boise. At Salmon River High School, the school Vander Esch attended, just 10 others graduated alongside him.
Vander Esch’s story is one of the more interesting ones in the 2018 NFL Draft.