SAN ANTONIO — Jesse Holley may be the most popular 11th receiver in the history of the NFL.
Weeks ago, he stood as the lone survivor, the best of the best, after beating out other training camp hopefuls to win Michael Irvin's "4th and Long" reality series. Now he's back to being just another free agent, out to win the lottery.
The reality show earned him a No. 16 Dallas Cowboys jersey, a spot in training camp and a chance — albeit a slim one — of making this ballclub. He wept when Irvin said the words any potential pro football player would want to hear: "Jesse Holley, the Cowboys can use you."
Now he's after bigger game, despite never having played in an NFL contest. And after nearly two months of vomit-inducing drills at the Cotton Bowl, he moved just inches closer to putting on an NFL jersey full-time.
But those are some large inches.
"It was a dream come true to win," Holley said. "It was a tough competition and to come out on top was a feeling that's hard to describe. Football is a physical game and being part of that show really helped me get ready for camp. My dream is still alive of playing in this league."
Conventional wisdom would suggest we take a good look at Holley now because he won't be around much longer. It wouldn't be a stretch to say he won't make it to the league's Sept. 1 deadline to cut rosters down to 75 players. And it wouldn't be a stretch to expect the unexpected from owner Jerry Jones, who may keep him around to create more buzz on a team that's flown under the NFL radar in the offseason.
Besides, Holley was the first Cowboy to visit the locker room of Jones' billion-dollar stadium, so why waste that little piece of history with an early pink slip?
So the real question is: Does this kid have a real shot at making this team?
The raw data tells us Holley stands 6-foot-3, weighs 216 pounds and covers 40 yards in 4.5 seconds. Further investigation shows he caught 126 passes for 1,750 yards and seven touchdowns in four seasons at North Carolina while playing backup point guard for the 2005 NCAA basketball national champs. The undrafted free agent signed with the Cincinnati Bengals in 2007 and spent six weeks on the practice squad before being cut.
That and 50 cents can get you a Diet Coke. Credentials mean nothing at this point. Like the old Janet Jackson tune asks: What have you done for me lately?
So Holley must impress. And impress with limited reps on a receiving corps that has only one receiver (Roy Williams) who has topped 1,000 yards receiving in a season.
Williams, Patrick Crayton, Miles Austin and Sam Hurd are locks to make the team, and head coach Wade Phillips told me he could be inclined to keep as many as seven wideouts on the final roster.
Holley — who scrimmaged with the second team on Wednesday — may not be experienced, but he's healthy, something that can't be said about the oft-injured Isaiah Stanback, who is battling a sore hamstring.
Others hoping to land a spot are former Oklahoma standout Manuel Johnson, Florida State's Willie Reid and Virginia's Kevin Ogletree.
For those of you who didn't watch Holley on Irvin's show, "4th and Long" was a 10-week eliminator on Spike TV that began with six defensive backs and six wide receivers. The Playmaker, former Cowboys special teams star Bill Bates and former assistant coach Joe Avezzano were the coaches who made the cuts. The players slept in the Cotton Bowl locker room and were not allowed cell phones or laptops.
"You wouldn't believe how we entertained ourselves," Holley said.
"We had bowling tournaments and used cereal boxes as pins. The rest of the time it was football. It was really like a boot camp."
Now he's in an NFL camp with professional aspirations, even if it's possible that he is the No. 11 receiver on a roster of 11 receivers. The other 10 may be surprised to hear that Avezzano said that Holley has the chance to be better than some of Dallas' current backups.
Receivers coach Ray Sherman isn't ready to go there, but he has noticed the dread-locked wideout with the sticky hands making plays in camp.
"He has some big pluses," Sherman said. "He's a pretty good athlete who has picked up the system pretty fast. He's still raw in some areas, but he works hard and listens. He does some things pretty well."
Coach Joe's statement may have come to drum up more interest in training camp. Or maybe he believes Holley to be an NFL-caliber receiver.
Whatever Avezzano's intentions, Holley has already earned a cult following among fans that have routinely yelled his name after practice for a quick autograph or handshake. On Wednesday, he stayed about 45 minutes after practice, signing autographs and shaking hands.
Holley's shot is a long one at best.
In the meantime, this 25-year-old is dreaming of playing 16 games this season.
And if that doesn't happen, he'll take these 15 minutes of fame.
Cedric Golden writes for the Austin American-Statesman. E-mail: cgolden(at)statesman.com.