Dallas Cowboys huge receiver Simi Fehoko in motion throughout sport in opposition to the New Orleans Saints, Thursday, Dec. 2, 2021, in New Orleans. The previous Brighton Excessive standout is getting into his second season within the NFL. Tyler Kaufman, Related Press
Stanford huge receiver Simi Fehoko catches a move for a landing throughout sport in opposition to UCLA Dec. 19, 2020, in Pasadena, Calif. The previous Utah highschool standout is getting into his second yr with the Dallas Cowboys. Ringo H.W. Chiu, Related Press
Simi Fehoko, Deseret Information’ 2015 Mr. Soccer, poses for a photograph at Brighton Excessive College in Sandy, Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2015. Fehoko was a four-star recruit who performed his faculty ball for Stanford and is getting into his second season within the NFL. Ravell Name, Deseret Information
Dallas Cowboys huge receiver Simi Fehoko throughout a preseason sport in opposition to the Arizona Cardinals, Friday, Aug. 13, 2021, in Glendale, Ariz. Rick Scuteri, Related Press
FRISCO, Texas — Simi Fehoko considers himself extremely blessed on a number of fronts.
The Brighton Excessive product is getting into his second season with the Dallas Cowboys, who chosen him within the fifth spherical of the 2021 NFL draft. He appeared in 5 video games as a rookie.
Amongst his blessings is wanting throughout the locker room and seeing a fellow Utah native in tight finish Dalton Schultz, who's at present holding out, as a teammate.
“Yeah, Dalton’s my man. It’s not solely that Utah bond. It’s a Stanford bond,” he mentioned.
“He sadly wasn’t there (at Stanford) once I acquired there, however I performed in opposition to him in highschool. He beat us within the state championship in 2014, sadly. He’s a very good man to have within the locker room.”
Stanford huge receiver Simi Fehoko catches a move for a landing throughout sport in opposition to UCLA Dec. 19, 2020, in Pasadena, Calif. The previous Utah highschool standout is getting into his second yr with the Dallas Cowboys.
Ringo H.W. Chiu, Related Press
After a stellar highschool profession at Brighton and being named the Deseret Information Mr. Soccer in 2015, Fehoko was a four-star recruit to Stanford. He is aware of taking part in highschool ball in Utah helped put together him nicely for the extent of competitors he would face each within the Pac-12 with the Cardinal and within the NFL.
“It’s truthfully ready us for being right here. Numerous the time (in Utah), in case you’re fairly good at soccer, you’re a giant fish in a small pond,” Fehoko mentioned.
“I’d say 100% (the expertise stage in Utah highschool soccer is underrated). You take a look at it now, you’ve acquired the Sewell boys (Nephi, Penei and Noah) popping out (of Utah). Yearly, now we have some freak athletes that come out of Utah.”
After all, Fehoko’s collegiate profession was delayed for 2 years as he went on a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to South Korea, an expertise that continues to positively influence him.
“I simply needed to develop up. I used to be dwelling alone for 2 years in a rustic that didn’t even have soccer or know what soccer was,” he mentioned.
“I simply needed to mature rather a lot quicker than most. It’s the identical factor I really feel like for dudes who go straight to varsity, you’ve nonetheless acquired to mature and develop up. This one was a little bit totally different for me simply because I used to be in a rustic that didn’t communicate English.”
Simi Fehoko, Deseret Information’ 2015 Mr. Soccer, poses for a photograph at Brighton Excessive College in Sandy, Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2015. Fehoko was a four-star recruit who performed his faculty ball for Stanford and is getting into his second season within the NFL.
Ravell Name, Deseret Information
Whereas in Seoul, Fehoko discovered Korean and studied the language at Stanford. He additionally visits Koreatown within the Dallas suburb of Carrollton recurrently.
Fehoko can be grateful for the chance Dallas has given him to play within the NFL and calls his rookie season productive regardless of showing in simply 5 video games.
“I’d say positively it’s a studying yr. I felt like I acquired my toes moist studying the offense, construct that belief and simply get a really feel for what it’s wish to be within the NFL,” Fehoko mentioned.
“Principally particular groups. I’d performed a little bit bit at Stanford, however clearly with my larger physique and with the ability to run a little bit bit quicker, it was a shoo-in for (particular groups) coach Bones (John Fassel). He simply put me in wherever they wanted. It’s a great way to get on the sphere.”
Like all rookie, he had dues to pay together with his veteran teammates. His ceremony of passage made him chargeable for ensuring his fellow receivers had scorching, contemporary meals on the aircraft throughout every street journey, duties he dealt with with a smile.
“It wasn’t too loopy. A majority of it was Popeyes (hen) however they needed it additional scorching each time,” he mentioned. “I needed to time it excellent. (Amari Cooper) needed scorching fries.”
Together with Schultz, Cooper, who was traded to Cleveland in March, helped ease Fehoko’s transition to the NFL greater than anybody in Dallas.
“Amari’s my man. I nonetheless discuss to him day by day,” he mentioned. “He’s an important dude that took me underneath his wing once I got here right here.
“It was massive for me simply to have someone I may bounce concepts off. He’s a giant receiver too, so it helped me being a much bigger receiver, too, simply to ask him how he does this and him being the route runner that he's, it clearly helped my sport.”
Fehoko not solely made a robust impression on Cooper, however on every of his colleagues within the Cowboys receiving corps.
“He is available in day by day. He goes to work. He’s not a complainer,” mentioned Dallas huge receiver Noah Brown. “He places his head down and he’s simply attempting to get higher every day, benefiting from his alternatives on the market.
“That’s what I see and I prefer it. I really feel like if he simply retains doing what he’s doing, he’ll be in fine condition. He’s been the identical man day by day. He’s not a loud talker or no matter, however he simply is available in and works.”
June 10 marked the ultimate week of organized crew actions (OTAs) for the Cowboys, that means all that continues to be on the calendar till the beginning of coaching camp in late July in Oxnard, California, is a weeklong minicamp.
As soon as that minicamp concludes, gamers get a while off, which can give Fehoko and his spouse Bailee (they tied the knot the week the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020) the prospect to lastly go on their long-awaited honeymoon in Hawaii.
“We lastly get to do it,” Fehoko mentioned of his honeymoon. “It (my time with the Cowboys) has been good. Dallas, for me has simply been a blessing. Me and my spouse, it’s like our second dwelling now. We’re glad to be right here and my time has been wonderful thus far. Hope it continues to be wonderful.”
Stephen Hunt is a contract author primarily based in Frisco, Texas.
Dallas Cowboys huge receiver Simi Fehoko throughout a preseason sport in opposition to the Arizona Cardinals, Friday, Aug. 13, 2021, in Glendale, Ariz.
Rick Scuteri, Related Press