UFL star Ajene Harris could help Cowboys CB problem

It will be interested to see if the Cowboys fan find some talent out of the UFL.

One of the Dallas Cowboys’ biggest concerns ahead of the 2025 season is their overall health and depth at cornerback. As they wait for one key player to return from injury, others to show they’ve fully recovered, and to see how rookie additions perform, they’re looking pretty thin for training camp. Could Ajene Harris, a veteran standout from the United Football League, help Dallas get through the summer and perhaps contribute in the regular season?

If we weren’t worried about medical issues, things would feel a lot better at corner. You’d have Trevon Diggs and DaRon Bland as returning starters, Shavon Revel as an exciting rookie addition, Israel Mukuamu as veteran depth, and several intriguing young prospects like Caelen Carson, Kairr Elam, Josh Butler, and Andrew Booth. Even undrafted rookie Alijah Clark is starting to garner support and praise during spring practices.

Unfortunately, medical concerns are at work with much of the group. Diggs is highly questionable to be ready for Week 1 as he continues to work on knee issues. Butler is still recovering from a torn ACL in Week 13, putting part if not all of 2025 in jeopardy. Revel fell to the third round because of a 2024 knee injury, which will slow his development and availability as a rookie. Plus, Bland and Carson, while healed up from previous issues, still have to prove they’re all the way back in their performance. And we haven’t even gotten to whatever injuries are sure to come during training camp and preseason games.

So yes, Dallas needs bodies to get through the summer. But Ajene Harris could potentially more than that. The 29-year-old veteran just led the UFL in interceptions this spring, two years after leading the XFL in picks in 2023. He’s been a consistent standout in these spring leagues for several years as a playmaker and willing tackler. He’s on the smaller side at just 5’10” and 180 lbs. but could be competitive among Dallas CB options, particularly in the much-needed role of slot corner.

Losing Jourdan Lewis to free agency this offseason, the Cowboys could use some more options in the slot. While Bland started his career there and is an excellent option, he may be needed more outside this year. At the very least, they may keep him there until Diggs and Revel are ready to go. Having another guy with slot experience, as well as the physicality and attitude to play it, could be useful.

Harris had a big-school pedigree at USC but went undrafted in 2019. He signed with the Eagles and made it to their practice squad as a rookie, but was released after a couple of months. That was his last time in the NFL, soon moving to the XFL in 2020 and spending the last few years in the secondary professional leagues. For three straight seasons between the XFL and UFL, Harris has been recognized as one of the elite players in whatever league he was part of, totaling nine interceptions in 29 games from 2023-2025.

The Cowboys have enjoyed the services of other spring league products in recent years. They found both K Brandon Aubrey and WR KaVontae Turpin in the USFL, which merged with the XFL in 2024 to form the UFL. Aubrey has been arguably the NFL’s best kicker over the last two seasons, and Turpin its best return specialist.

It’s a different conversation when you move away from special teams. Whereas there are only so many kicker and returner jobs in the NFL, each team carries anywhere from four to six cornerbacks annually. When a guy hasn’t already made it in the pros at the core positions, it does prompt logical questions as to what’s held him back. Even Turpin, who was the USFL MVP in 2022 for his offensive work, has had a hard time consistently getting on the field as a WR or RB.

Again, like many spring league players, Harris is undersized. This has become increasingly challenging as NFL receivers just keep getting bigger and stronger. But we’ve seen many examples of talent and mentality making up for physical deficiencies. And at least in terms of the level of competition he’s been facing the last three years, Harris keeps outshining his peers. He’s even used to playing in Arlington after two years with the Renegades.

We’re not suggesting that Ajene Harris is a superior prospect to the guys Dallas is already planning to take to Oxnard in July. But given what he’s accomplished the last few years in the XFL and UFL, it couldn’t hurt to give him another crack at the big leagues. Even at a lower level, real-game experience is valuable. Harris might not have a long-term NFL future at his age, but he could help the Cowboys with their short-term depth problem at cornerback.