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Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Jalen Moreno-Cropper.
If former Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Jalen Moreno-Cropper wants to get back to the NFL, this is probably a good 1st step.
Moreno-Cropper wowed in his UFL debut on Saturday with the Houston Gamblers, returning a kickoff 93 yards for a touchdown against the Dallas Renegades.
“Former Cowboys WR Jalen Moreno-Cropper always had the talent,” Fort Worth Star-Telegram Cowboys reporter Nick Harris wrote on his official X account. “He just couldn’t carve a role out in that talented receiver room. Shined in training camp and the preseason, but would’ve been a redundant roster placement next to KaVontae Turpin. He’ll get another rightful NFL shot.”
Moreno-Cropper was with the Cowboys the last 3 seasons, including 3 regular-season games in 2025.
“Former undrafted WR for the Cowboys, Jalen Moreno–Cropper, is out here RETURNING KICKS in the UFL,” Dallas Cowboys Plug wrote on X.
93-YARD KICK-RETURN TD OH MY HOUSTON 🤯
MORENO-CROPPER TAKES IT ALL THE WAY
3 Seasons With Cowboys as Undrafted Free Agent
Other than returning punts and kicks at a high level, Moreno-Cropper and Turpin both have something else in common — they made the Cowboys as undrafted free agents.
Moreno-Cropper, 24 years old, went from Sanger, California, to starring at Fresno State from 2019 to 2022, where he was a 2-time All-Mountain West Conference selection and had 83 receptions for 1,086 yards and 5 touchdowns in 2022.
In 4 seasons, Moreno-Cropper had 3,463 all-purpose yards and 28 total touchdowns — 21 receiving touchdowns, 5 rushing touchdowns, and 2 passing touchdowns.
At the NFL scouting combine, Moreno-Cropper ran the 40-yard dash in 4.40 seconds — elite speed by any standard.
NFL draft analyst Lance Zierlein projected Moreno-Cropper as a 6th-round pick in his pre-draft evaluation.
“Slot receiver with adequate size who finds ways to get open thanks to tempo variance over route acumen,” Zierlein wrote. “Moreno-Cropper’s ball skills shine when he’s elevating and making adjustments mid-flight, but he struggles when attempting to play through contact and make contested catches. His versatility to throw, run jet sweeps and operate outside of the norm for his position could be intriguing for creative play-callers and teams looking to add competition at receiver on Day 3.”
Kavontae Turpin 1 of NFL’s Elite Return Specialists
Unfortunately for Moreno-Cropper, he showed up in Dallas around the exact same time as Turpin, who has gone from an undrafted free agent to 1 of the great special teams players in Cowboys history.
Through his 1st 4 NFL seasons, Turpin is a 2-time NFL All-Pro and 3-time Pro Bowler, including leading the league with 1,815 kick return yards in 2025, which was the second-highest single-season total in NFL history.
With his kickoff return TD for the Gamblers, there’s a chance Moreno-Cropper finds his way back to the Cowboys roster again in 2026 if Turpin can eventually become the WR3 behind George Pickens and CeeDee Lamb.
Turpin narrowly avoided NFL punishment after some off-field troubles in 2025.
“Turpin, 28, was booked and charged initially with two misdemeanors: possession of marijuana (less than two ounces) and unlawful carrying of a weapon,” The Dallas Morning News’ Joseph Hoyt wrote on July 6. ” … Turpin has had off-the-field issues before. He starred at TCU, but was kicked off the team after he was arrested on assault charges. He later pleaded guilty and was sentenced to probation and ordered to attend an abuse intervention program.”
Misdemeanor arrests for marijuana and gun possession do not usually result in NFL suspensions.
Tony Adame covers the NFL for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Washington Commanders, Dallas Cowboys, Baltimore Ravens, Philadelphia Eagles and Denver Broncos. A veteran sports writer and editor since 2004, his work has been featured at Stadium Talk, Yardbarker, NW Florida Daily News and Pensacola News Journal. More about Tony Adame
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