Dallas Cowboys

Cowboys WR KaVontae Turpin drawing Deion Sanders comparisons

Updated Aug. 22, 2022 6:17 p.m. ET

KaVontae Turpin was the star of the show Saturday in the Dallas Cowboys' 32-18 preseason victory over the Los Angeles Chargers.

The newly minted Cowboys receiver, who was crowned MVP of the USFL's inaugural season just six short weeks ago, popped off with a 98-yard kickoff return and an 86-yard punt return, both of which resulted in touchdowns for America's Team.

Mike McCarthy later called the return specialist "very dynamic" when it comes to his role on special teams.

On Monday's "Undisputed," Shannon Sharpe said Turpin had an eight out of 10 chance "at the bare minimum" to impact the Cowboys in a huge way this season, comparing the 26-year-old budding star to College Football and Pro Football Hall of Famer Deion Sanders.

"It's hard for me to believe that in 17 games he won't return at least a punt or a kickoff for a touchdown, but let's just say for the sake of argument that he doesn't," Sharpe said. "The fact of the matter is, he's gonna force somebody to shank a punt … to shank a kickoff. Now all of a sudden, they're gonna get … exceptional field position. … He's a dynamic [player].

"It's been a long time since the Cowboys have had a returner. … He might be the best return man since ‘Prime Time.’"

Cowboys' KaVontae Turpin scores kickoff, punt return TDs vs. Chargers

Shannon Sharpe explains why Turpin may be the Cowboys' "best returner since ‘Prime Time.’"

Sanders spent five seasons with the Cowboys from 1995-99. Now the head coach at Jackson State, Sanders is a two-time Super Bowl champion — one with the San Francisco and the other with Dallas — and an eight-time Pro Bowl selection.

Similarly to Turpin's explosive performance Saturday, Sanders' stardom was apparent from his first game when he came up with a jaw-dropping 68-yard punt return for a touchdown in his NFL debut as a rookie with the Atlanta Falcons in 1989.

Sanders scored six touchdowns on punt returns, three touchdowns on kickoff returns and returned nine interceptions for scores with five different teams throughout his 14-season, 188-game career. What's more, he recorded 53 career interceptions and retired second all-time in interception return yardage (1,331) and tied for second for most interceptions returned for a touchdown in a career (nine) and in a season (three).

While it can be dangerous to assume too much from a preseason showing — and even more dangerous to compare a young player to a legend of the game — it's likely safe to assume that Turpin will be a force to be reckoned with this season.

"He has easy speed, and it is … shifty, slippery speed," Skip Bayless added.

"How in the name of 'Neon Deion' Sanders did this kid play in five leagues in five years since he left TCU?"

Turpin finished his college career in 2017 as a first-team All-Big 12 kick and punt returner but went undrafted in 2019.

He started his pro career in 2020, joining the Indoor Football League's Frisco Fighters. He went on to spend time with FCF Glacier Boyz (Fan Controlled Football), the TSL Sea Lions (The Spring League) and the Panthers Wrocław (European League of Football) in 2021 prior to his breakout season with the USFL's New Jersey Generals.

While with the Generals, Turpin's 540 receiving yards across 10 games led the USFL, and his four receiving touchdowns topped the roster. The speedster also showcased his talents on the ground, carrying the ball 23 times for 129 yards and one score.

Turpin returned 12 punts for the Generals, averaging 15.3 yards per attempt and scoring another touchdown.

He signed with the Cowboys in early August.