JW #32

Julius Wood

Safety · East Carolina

An undrafted, junior-college-to-FBS safety who led East Carolina in tackles two years running before signing on with Dallas.

Julius Wood took the long way to the NFL, routing through a junior college before becoming one of the more physical safeties in East Carolina's recent history. He signed with Dallas as an undrafted free agent and has stuck around as a depth piece and special teams contributor.

★ Led East Carolina in tackles in both 2022 (87) and 2023 (86)

★ Signed a two-year, $2.125 million contract with Dallas as an undrafted free agent

Path to the league

A Columbus, Ohio native out of Walnut Ridge High School, Wood spent two seasons at Blinn Community College before joining East Carolina as part of its 2021 recruiting class. At 6-foot-1 and 194 pounds, he became known as a physical, sure tackler. He went unselected in the 2024 NFL Draft and signed with Dallas as an undrafted free agent.

Career highlights

Wood led East Carolina in tackles in back-to-back seasons, with 87 stops in 2022, his first year as a full-time starter, and 86 more in 2023. That production as a run defender was enough to earn him a Day 3 draft grade from several scouts even though he ultimately went undrafted. Dallas signed him to a two-year contract worth $2.125 million.

2025 season recap

Wood spent his second pro season rotating on and off Dallas' practice squad and active roster, working primarily as depth and special teams help behind the Cowboys' starting safeties. He did not see significant defensive snaps in 2025, and the team continued to value him for his tackling and special teams reliability.