On July 6, 2023, a former Plano Independent School District student signed with the Dallas Cowboys to compete for the starting kicker position.
According to Plano ISD, Brandon Aubrey, who graduated in 2013, was renowned for his exceptional soccer skills as a key player for the Wildcats. During his four-year tenure at Notre Dame, he showcased his abilities as a defender, scoring a total of 15 goals in 76 appearances. His impressive performance led to his selection as the 21st overall pick by Toronto FC in the 2017 Major League Soccer SuperDraft. But, Aubrey eventually concluded his soccer career in 2018.
After four years, Aubrey inked a deal with the Stallions and swiftly emerged as one of the premier kickers in the league. His performance led to him being honored in 2022 by the USFL, and he played a pivotal role in leading the team to two championship victories. In the previous season, Aubrey demonstrated exceptional accuracy, successfully converting 14 out of 15 field goals and flawlessly making all 35 point-after-touchdown (PAT) attempts.
“We are Plano ISD proud of you, Brandon, and will be cheering you on all the way,” a statement from Plano ISD said.
Later this month Aubrey will compete for the starting kicker job against Tristan Vizcaino at Cowboys training camp in Oxnard, California.
"It's one of the great things about these leagues," Dallas Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones said in June about the potential of adding a USFL kicker. "Just like we found Turpin last year. The staff is doing a good job evaluating the guys. We'll see where we end up."
According to ESPN, the Cowboys looked at several picks, but Jake Moody (third round, San Francisco 49ers) and Chad Ryland (fourth round, New England Patriots) went earlier than they were willing to select a kicker, so they turned to Aubrey.
