Cornerback DaRon Bland had five interceptions after being drafted in the fifth round of the 2022 draft, but there wasn’t a lot of talk about him playing a key role in the Cowboys defense leading into last season.
It didn’t take long for Bland to make a bigger impression, though. He returned an interception for a touchdown in Week One and then went on to set an NFL single-season record by doing it four more times in the regular season.
Bland finished the year with nine interceptions overall and he claimed a spot as a first-team All-Pro, so it’s no surprise that he finds it “definitely harder to keep a low profile after last season.” That makes it impossible for Bland to sneak up on anyone, but he said his changed circumstances won’t change the way he approaches the job.
“It’s all been the same,” Bland said, via the team’s website. “Gotta keep it the same. I always have the same expectations. It [did] improve my confidence, going into more years in this league as well. I’m going into my third year so, yeah, I’m more confident now.”
One thing that the Cowboys will hope is different this year is that Bland shares the field with Trevon Diggs for the entire season. Diggs tore his ACL early last year and the prospect of having both corners on hand for the long run is one that should excite the Cowboys.