DeMarvion Overshown Bio
DeMarvion Germanic Lee Overshown, born August 13, 2000, is an American professional football linebacker for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL). Standing about 6 feet 2 inches tall and weighing roughly 225 pounds, he plays a hybrid linebacker role that blends pass coverage with run support. After starring as a five-star recruit at Arp High School in East Texas, Overshown spent five seasons at the University of Texas at Austin before being selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft.
Despite a promising start to his professional career, Overshown has already faced two major knee injuries, including a torn ACL in his rookie preseason and another multi-ligament tear in 2024. His recovery and return to the field in 2025 have positioned him as a key piece of the Cowboys’ defensive plans going forward.
Early Life and Background
DeMarvion Germanic Lee Overshown was born on August 13, 2000, in Tyler, Texas. He grew up in nearby Arp, a small East Texas community, where he attended Arp High School. Overshown grew up in a region known for producing tough, hard-nosed football players, and that environment helped shape his competitive mindset from an early age.
As a freshman at Arp High School, Overshown was promoted to the varsity team for the Class 3A district playoffs, where he played outside linebacker and defensive end. The following year, as a sophomore, he earned All-East Texas Newcomer of the Year honors. He then moved to safety as a junior and was named All-East Texas Defensive Player of the Year, helping his team reach the state semifinals.
His senior season was his most decorated. Overshown recorded 142 tackles, 14 tackles for loss, 5 sacks, 5 interceptions, 13 pass breakups, 4 forced fumbles, and 2 fumble recoveries. He received Defensive MVP of District 9-3A II, first-team All-District, first-team All-State honors from both the Associated Press and the Texas Sports Writers Association, and first-team All-USA Texas recognition from USA Today. Rated as a five-star recruit with 26 scholarship offers from programs including Texas, Alabama, Clemson, Georgia, LSU, Ohio State, and Oklahoma, he committed to the University of Texas at Austin in December 2017 and played in the Under Armour All-America Game the following January.
Path to American Football
Overshown’s path to professional football began with his decorated high school career in Arp, Texas. His rare combination of size, athleticism, and instincts allowed him to play multiple defensive positions, from defensive end to safety, foreshadowing the versatility that would later define his game.
His five-star rating and lengthy offer sheet confirmed his status as one of the top defensive prospects in the 2018 recruiting class. The decision to stay in-state and join the Texas Longhorns gave him a clear path to a major college program while remaining close to home.
At Texas, Overshown gradually worked his way up from a backup safety in his first two seasons to a starting weakside linebacker as a junior. His progression showed steady improvement, and by his final college season he had earned first-team All-Big 12 recognition, setting the stage for his transition to the NFL.
DeMarvion Overshown Career
Early Career (2018–2020)
DeMarvion Germanic Lee Overshown arrived at the University of Texas at Austin in 2018 and immediately joined the football program on scholarship. He spent his first two seasons as a backup safety, appearing in 17 games while registering 19 tackles, 2 sacks, and one interception. The experience allowed him to develop his coverage skills and adjust to the speed of major college football.
As a sophomore in 2019, Overshown missed four games due to a back injury suffered against the University of Kansas, but he continued to refine his game when healthy. Prior to his junior season in 2020, he moved to weakside linebacker, a position change that better suited his physical traits. He started all 10 games that year, recording 60 tackles, one sack, and two interceptions. He was named the Defensive MVP of the 2020 Alamo Bowl after making 6 tackles, one interception, 2 quarterback hurries, and one fumble recovery.
Senior Season at Texas (2021)
Overshown chose to return to Texas for his senior year rather than enter the 2021 NFL Draft. The decision allowed him to further develop as a starting linebacker and to improve his draft stock. He started 10 games, missing one contest with a toe injury, while recording 74 tackles to lead the team, along with 5.5 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, 2 fumble recoveries, 2 pass breakups, and one blocked kick.
Among his season highlights were 9 tackles against Texas Tech University and a 10-tackle performance with a career-high 8 solo stops and one fumble recovery against Texas Christian University. The senior campaign cemented his reputation as one of the top linebackers in the Big 12 Conference.
Super Senior Season at Texas (2022)
Using the extra year of eligibility afforded by the COVID-19 era rules, Overshown returned for a super senior season in 2022. He appeared in 12 games with 11 starts and posted career highs with 96 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, 4 sacks, and 5 pass breakups. His dominant play earned him first-team All-Big 12 honors.
Notable performances during the season included 9 tackles with 1.5 for loss against Kansas State University, 11 tackles with half a sack against Texas Christian University, and 14 tackles with one sack and 2 pass breakups against Baylor University. By the end of his college career, Overshown had established himself as a versatile defender capable of impacting both the run game and the passing game.
Dallas Cowboys Era (2023–Present)
The Dallas Cowboys selected DeMarvion Germanic Lee Overshown in the third round, 90th overall, of the 2023 NFL Draft. During the second preseason game against the Seattle Seahawks, however, Overshown was carted off the field after sustaining an injury that was later revealed to be a torn ACL, ending his rookie season before it began.
Healthy again in 2024, Overshown made his NFL debut in Week 1 against the Cleveland Browns and recorded a sack. He scored his first NFL touchdown on Thanksgiving Day in Week 13 against the New York Giants, returning an interception to the end zone. In 13 games with 12 starts, he logged 1 interception, 1 forced fumble, 1 fumble recovery, 5 sacks, and 90 combined tackles. His promising season ended abruptly on December 10, 2024, when it was announced he would miss the remainder of the year and part of 2025 after suffering a torn ACL, MCL, and PCL in Week 14 against the Cincinnati Bengals.
Driving Style and Strengths
Overshown is known for his versatility on the field, having played safety, weakside linebacker, and hybrid defensive roles throughout his career. His coverage skills, combined with the size and tackling ability of a traditional linebacker, allow him to match up against tight ends and running backs in the passing game while still providing strong run support. His football intelligence and willingness to diagnose plays quickly have been praised by coaches at both the college and professional levels.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among the most memorable moments of Overshown’s career is his first NFL touchdown, a Thanksgiving Day interception return against the New York Giants in 2024. He has also earned first-team All-Big 12 honors, Defensive MVP honors at the 2020 Alamo Bowl, and a place among the top linebackers selected in the 2023 NFL Draft. Sadly, two major knee injuries have also marked his early professional career, shaping both his resilience and the narrative surrounding his recovery.
DeMarvion Overshown Career Wins
DeMarvion Germanic Lee Overshown has compiled a series of notable accolades across his high school, college, and professional career. While individual game win totals in the NFL and NCAA are not fully summarized in available records, his list of honors reflects consistent defensive excellence at every level of competition.
Texas Longhorns Highlights
During his time at the University of Texas at Austin, Overshown earned first-team All-Big 12 honors in 2022 after posting career highs with 96 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, 4 sacks, and 5 pass breakups. He was also named the Defensive MVP of the 2020 Alamo Bowl following a performance that included 6 tackles, one interception, 2 quarterback hurries, and one fumble recovery.
Overshown played a key role in multiple Texas victories during his college career, contributing to bowl game success and helping the Longhorns defense compete against top Big 12 offenses.
Other Wins and Performances
At Arp High School, Overshown helped his team reach the Class 3A state semifinals as a junior and earned multiple All-State and All-USA Texas honors as a senior. He was also a participant in the prestigious Under Armour All-America Game in January 2018. In the NFL, he made his regular-season debut with a sack against the Cleveland Browns in Week 1 of 2024 and later scored his first career touchdown against the New York Giants on Thanksgiving Day that same season.
DeMarvion Overshown Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Details about DeMarvion Germanic Lee Overshown’s parents and immediate family members are not widely available in public sources. He grew up in Arp, Texas, a small East Texas community where football has long been a central part of local culture. His upbringing in that environment played a key role in his development as a football player.
Personal Life
Public information about Overshown’s personal life is limited. He is not publicly known to be married, and details about his spouse and children have not been confirmed in available sources. Overshown has focused much of his public attention on his professional football career and his recovery from two major knee injuries.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 NFL season marked a long-awaited return for DeMarvion Germanic Lee Overshown after suffering a torn ACL, MCL, and PCL in Week 14 of the 2024 season. He missed the first 10 weeks of the season while continuing his rehabilitation, working closely with the Cowboys’ medical and training staff to return to full strength.
Overshown was activated on November 14, 2025, ahead of the Cowboys’ Week 11 matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders. His return added a versatile and athletic defender to a Dallas linebacker corps in need of playmaking ability. Given his strong 2024 production of 5 sacks and 90 combined tackles in 13 games, his presence is expected to provide an immediate boost to the Cowboys’ defensive performance for the remainder of the season.
Looking ahead, Overshown’s health will be the central storyline of his 2025 campaign and beyond. If he can stay on the field, his combination of coverage skills, run support, and pass-rush upside makes him a potential long-term building block for the Dallas defense.