Heat gets to Cowboys rookies

May, 4, 2012
5/04/12
5:03
PM CT
IRVING, Texas -- The first day of Cowboys rookie minicamp was conducted at Valley Ranch in 92 degree weather with 42 percent humidity.

The day's second practice session, which started around 2 p.m., saw a few players get wobbly. Third-round pick and defensive end Tyrone Crawford took a knee and then almost fell over.

Defensive line coach Brian Baker walked over to Crawford and motioned for a trainer to get him some water.

"It's a little different here than in Canada," Baker said of Crawford, who is from Windsor, Ontario. "I coached in Detroit for four years, so I know kind of right where he is in Windsor. Shoot, the sun shines two or three months a year. That's a grey place. The sun, he had no way to get ready for it, no way to prepare. I'll tell you what, the kind of kid he is, I'll be really surprised if he doesn't come out tomorrow with an attitude of, 'I don't care what the climate is, you're not surprising me today. You surprised me a little bit yesterday and now I'm going to ball.' That's what I see in that kid."

Fourth-round pick Kyle Wilber also took a knee as he was trying to deal with the heat. Then there was tackle Taylor Dever, a 6-5, 298 pounder from Notre Dame.

After one play, Dever walked behind a gaggle of players and vomited.
Calvin Watkins joined ESPNDallas.com in September 2009. He's covered the Cowboys since 2006 and also has covered colleges, boxing and high school sports.

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