WATCH: Cowboys castoff electrifies UFL's opening weekend with 93-yard TD
Jalen Cropper never got his breakout moment in 2 seasons with the Cowboys. He just had a big one in his first game with the UFL's Houston Gamblers.
Jalen Moreno-Cropper was unable to truly break into the Cowboys ' gameplan over his two seasons with the club. The wide receiver saw action in just four games, took more snaps on special teams than on offense, and was never officially targeted with a single pass while wearing the star. But he was certainly a star on opening weekend for the United Football League's Houston Gamblers, providing an electrifying highlight that could put him squarely back on the radar of NFL squads looking to add depth talent for the 2026 season.
The 24-year-old turned an awkwardly-fielded kickoff into a full-field sprint straight through the heart of the Dallas Renegades coverage unit for a 93-yard touchdown in the team's season opener on Saturday. The Gamblers lost by a 36-17 count, but in scoring the team's first touchdown of the season, Cropper announced himself as a player worth watching this spring. 93-YARD KICK-RETURN TD OH MY HOUSTON š¤Æ MORENO-CROPPER TAKES IT ALL THE WAY pic.
twitter. com/lr3hY6kJf6 ā United Football League (@TheUFL) March 28, 2026 Cropper finished the day as- by far- the Gamblers' most-targeted receiver, with 10 looks. He led the team with five catches and amassed 59 yards.
His three kick returns averaged 48 yards. Signed by the Cowboys as an undrafted free agent out of Fresno State in 2023, Cropper found himself battling for attention and reps in a crowded WR room that included Jalen Tolbert, Simi Fehoko, Jalen Brooks (all Dallas draft picks), and KaVontae Turpin, who himself had been signed as a USFL phenom. By the next year, Jonathan Mingo and Ryan Flournoy had entered the competition.