After what the Cowboys are calling a 19 tackle and one interception performance against the Eagles, Cowboys linebacker Leighton Vander Esch was named the NFC's Defensive Player of the Week.
Not bad for a rookie playing in his ninth career game.
But Vander Esch made it clear he is not surprised by his success.
"I've never really felt like I've been caught off guard with anything. I'm confident in myself and I'm confident in my abilities and my athleticism and my preparation that's going to put me in position to make plays on the field on game day," Vander Esch said. "I'm here for a reason. There's a reason they drafted me as high as they did. I just got to be consistent every single week and do what the coaches ask of me, stay humble, be the person that I am and not change to anything different and just do what I do."
If it looked like Vander Esch was comfortable with the football in his hands during that interception return against the Eagles it's because he is -- as a senior in high school in Riggins, Idaho, Vander Esch had 28 rushing touchdowns and 37 passing touchdowns as a high school quarterback.
