The Dallas Cowboys have been known for their undrafted free agent (UDFA) gems, with players like Miles Austin, Tony Romo, Cole Beasley and Dan Bailey earning All-Pro and Pro Bowl nods, and names such as Markquese Bell, Terence Steele and Brevyn Spann-Ford highlighting other success stories. In 2025, one such premiere UDFA signing gem was former Kentucky defensive back Zion Childress.
Childress, Dallas’ only rookie UDFA to make the initial 53-man roster, came to the NFL a safety by name, but something much more by trade. In his early college years at Texas State, he gained experience playing the entire secondary. After moving to Kentucky, Childress focused more at the safety position and in a role as a slot defender.
Cowboys’ fans will be all-too familiar with the slot defender label. It’s a role new defensive coordinator Christian Parker has circled and underlined since arriving in Dallas, and a position highlighted here as the new APEX defender in today’s NFL.
At 5-foot-11, 203 pounds, Childress is fairly average in stature. Strong against the run and savvy in various coverages, he’s a good fit as a multi-tooled slot defender. He excelled in the preseason last year and earned a short-lived roster spot in the process. He’s the ideal type of player for Parker’s new defense with the only problem being the plethora of alternative options ahead of him on the depth chart.
The Cowboys didn’t just devote valuable offseason resources to the slot defender role, they devoted their most valuable resources in BOTH facets of the market.
Jalen Thompson, their top free agent signing, and Caleb Downs, their top draft selection, each figure into this mix as APEX defenders. Their presence may already bump the Cowboys’ top nickel cornerback off the roster, so it will be extra tough for someone like Childress. Yet, Childress fits a valuable profile and is someone who shouldn’t be ruled out in 2026.
It’s a pretty safe bet Downs will be the primary slot occupier in 2026. He’s a dream defender in this role and will be on the field as much as possible. An opening could exist if the Cowboys decide Thompson is their best option at deep safety. Thompson could bump Mailk Hooker into a specialist centerfielder role in Cover-1 and Cover-3 single high safety looks. This would cast Thompson as more of a deep safety in split safety coverages and possibly open up relief opportunities in the box behind Downs
Childress would then be duking it out with Reddy Steward (primary slot cornerback in 2025), free agent addition P.J. Locke, and fellow UDFA success story Markquese Bell as APEX alternatives. There’s even a good chance special teams standout Alijah Clark is in that mix as well. Suddenly those slot defender snaps look like they’re about to get really interesting, really quickly.
It’s why training camp and the preseason are so intriguing this year. Players from all different backgrounds battle it out for roles all across the roster. And just when it seems a pecking order has been put in place, the gameboard changes completely and new combinations are created to fit the 53-man roster needs.
Zion Childress was last season’s first UDFA success story and this season’s defender to remember.
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This article originally appeared on Cowboys Wire: Cowboys top 2025 UDFA could disrupt plans in Parker’s secondary
Reporting by Reid D Hanson, Cowboys Wire / Cowboys Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
