When the Dallas Cowboys spent a seventh-round decide on QB Ben DiNucci from James Madison this spring, there was a widespread refrain from the workforce’s followers.

Who?

However NFL scouts had tracked DiNucci’s lengthy, winding path all through school soccer and knew what sort of participant he was. The Pittsburgh-bred quarterback cracked the highest 10 in a number of faculty passing marks — together with completions, makes an attempt, passing yards and passing TDs — regardless of spending solely two years there.

And with out an NFL preseason in 2020, Cowboys discovered extra about him in Week 7 when he unexpectedly was thrust into the lineup within the midst of an eventual 25-Three loss to the Washington Soccer Group. Andy Dalton, who had changed injured starter Dak Prescott, was knocked out the sport following a questionable hit from Washington’s Jon Bostic.

DiNucci — who turns 24 subsequent month — turned solely the sixth seventh-round QB to play as a rookie previously 15 years, finishing 2 of three passes for 39 yards. (He additionally was sacked thrice and fumbled twice.)

All indicators now level to DiNucci incomes his first NFL begin rather than an injured Dalton on Sunday night time in opposition to the Philadelphia Eagles in what theoretically is a battle for the NFC East playoff race.

Cowboys rookie QB Ben DiNucci: “That is each child’s dream, getting an opportunity to be the beginning quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys. What extra might you need?”

— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) October 29, 2020

Cowboys rookie QB Ben DiNucci: “For me, this is a chance of a lifetime. I couldn’t be happier or extra excited.”

— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) October 29, 2020

However many of the nation continues to be studying about him. So who precisely is DiNucci? Listed below are 5 issues it is best to find out about him.

Began his school profession at Pitt

As a high-school participant at Pine-Richland (Gibsonia, Pa.), about 30 minutes north of Pittsburgh, DiNucci racked up fairly a resumé.

DiNucci was named USA As we speak second-team All-American and was the Pennsylvania Gatorade Participant of the Yr, throwing for 7,619 yards and 72 touchdowns throughout his profession — and the first-ever Pennsylvania high-school participant to prime the 4,000-yard mark in a single season as a senior.

Nevertheless, Rivals solely rated him as a two-star recruit, and he struggled to generate a ton of recruiting buzz. DiNucci initially dedicated to Penn.

However Pitt entered the nix late after dropping one QB recruit and onetransfer, and the college provided DiNucci. It was his dream faculty, and he jumped on the supply.

DiNucci was then-new head coach Pat Narduzzi’s first QB dedication that caught. His offensive coordinator, Jim Chaney, was the one who satisfied Narduzzi to increase the supply to DiNucci.

Ben DiNucci virtually give up soccer

Issues didn’t fairly work out the way in which DiNucci had hoped with the Panthers.

He spent three seasons there, together with his redshirt freshman 12 months. And when DiNucci was capable of crack the lineup — together with six begins as a redshirt sophomore — he had a couple of shiny spots.

DiNucci accomplished 88 of 158 for 1,091 yards with 5 touchdowns and 5 interceptions as a sophomore. He got here off bench to throw for a season-high 228 yards and a landing in opposition to Oklahoma State and ran for a TD and a two-point conversion in opposition to Penn State. DiNucci additionally threw for a landing within the Pinstripe Bowl in opposition to Northwestern.

Nevertheless it was clear that Kenny Pickett was the Panthers’ future on the place. So DiNucci noticed the writing on the wall and figures transferring was his most suitable choice.

Even so, there was doubt in his thoughts. DiNucci later stated he wasn’t even positive he wished to maintain taking part in soccer.

“Once I determined to switch, I wasn’t even positive if I wished to play soccer anymore,” he stated this spring. “Once I was there, the enjoyable type of acquired taken out of the sport.”

It’s factor he did.

Story continues

DiNucci began all 13 video games in 2018, main the Dukes to a 9-Four mark and a run within the FCS playoffs that 12 months. He was named third-team all-conference.

As a redshirt senior in 2019, he was even higher, regardless of having to win again the beginning quarterback job when a brand new teaching employees took over.

DiNucci began all 16 video games at quarterback, was named CAA Offensive Participant of the Yr and led the Dukes all the way in which to the FCS title sport the place they misplaced to Trey Lance and North Dakota State. For the season, he threw for 3,341 yards, 29 TDs and solely six interceptions, finishing 70.6 p.c of his passes. DiNucci additionally ran for 569 yards and 7 scores.

DiNucci outpassed Lance, 204 yards to 72, within the championship sport. However the Dukes misplaced, 28-20.

Nevertheless, the situation of that sport ended up offering DiNucci with an opportunity assembly that may have allowed him to be a rookie starter for the Cowboys.

First JMU quarterback within the NFL … and a wild Mike McCarthy assembly

James Madison has by no means been thought-about a breeding floor for NFL expertise.

Even so, there have been some recognizable alumni from the college who’ve made it to — and even thrived in — the league.

Some of the well-known was former Washington Redskins broad receiver Gary Clark, a four-time Professional Bowler and two-time Tremendous Bowl champ who continues to be ranks within the prime 50 all time in receptions and yards in league historical past.

The opposite most well-known JMU alum in league historical past is one Cowboys followers know properly — Charles Haley. In one of many extra embellished NFL careers, Haley was named to the Professional Soccer Corridor of Fame after main the Cowboys to a few Tremendous Bowl victories and the San Francisco 49ers to 2 extra.

Lately, a handful of JMU gamers have made it to the NFL — former Eagles linebacker Akeem Jordan, former Payments linebacker Arthur Moats and former Cardinals offensive guard Earl Watford.

The varsity’s most notorious alum? It’s most likely former Payments kicker, Scott Norwood, who missed the would-be game-winning kick in opposition to the Giants in Tremendous Bowl XXV.

However the faculty had by no means produced an NFL quarterback till DiNucci made his debut final week. (Mike Cawley was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts in 1996 however by no means performed in a regular-season sport.)

James Madison and quarterback Ben DiNucci (6) misplaced to North Dakota State within the FCS championship. However little did he know, that sport supplied an opportunity assembly along with his future NFL coach. (AP Photograph/Sam Hodde)

Extra

And it’s type of a miracle DiNucci even on an energetic roster — or was drafted — within the first place.

DiNucci definitely had NFL expertise. However the COVID-19 limitations on the draft course of actually tended to harm smaller-school prospects, as professional days had been cancelled everywhere in the nation, and DiNucci was not invited to a single postseason all-star sport.

However previous to that, as James Madison was getting ready for the FCS title sport in Frisco, Tex., he ran right into a coach — in an elevator — who knew his title. It was Mike McCarthy.

McCarthy was staying on the identical resort in Frisco that the JMU gamers had been, and it turned out that they had a couple of issues in frequent. Each grew up in Pittsburgh, rising up in roughly the identical space. The truth is, McCarthy’s brother was truly DiNucci’s eighth-grade basketball coach.

“He was very conversant in our workforce,” DiNucci stated. “I used to be type of stunned that he knew who I used to be.”

After the Cowboys shocked multiple individual — together with DiNucci — by drafting him, DiNucci was ecstatic on draft weekend.

“It is simply loopy to see this factor come full circle,” he stated. “It’s an unbelievable alternative, and I’m so excited.”

The DiNucci-Ryan Fitzpatrick connection

Sure, DiNucci and Fitzpatrick (Harvard) are two FCS-level quarterbacks within the NFL. There are others.

But when DiNucci begins on Sunday — or at any level this season — he’ll be the primary seventh-round rookie QB to begin since Fitzpatrick did it again in 2005 with the St. Louis Rams.

Fitzpatrick’s first NFL begin unfolded in related trend. Opening-game starter Marc Bulger suffered a shoulder damage, and his backup, Jamie Martin, went down in Week 12 of that season in opposition to the Houston Texans. Enter Fitz along with his workforce down massive.

However Fitzpatrick did what DiNucci final week was unable to do: rally his workforce to a surprising win. Trailing 24–Three at halftime, Fitzpatrick threw for 310 yards and three TDs because the Rams gained, 33–27, in additional time. Fitzpatrick even was named NFC Offensive Participant of the Week.

Fitzpatrick earned the Rams’ subsequent three begins. However he couldn’t duplicate his relief-pitching magic. Fitzpatrick threw just one landing and 7 interceptions in these three video games, and the Rams misplaced all three. Martin quickly changed him.

Who is aware of how DiNucci’s trial will go? But when there’s ever a case examine for a little-known quarterback overcoming early struggles to outlive within the NFL, it’s Fitzpatrick. In any case, he’s nonetheless energetic at the moment and ranks 31st in passing yards and 34th in passing touchdowns all time.

Extra from Yahoo Sports activities: