Nine games into the 2026 season, the Cowboys have a pretty clear read on most of their rookie class. Some have already carved out real roles.
Others are still waiting for their first real shot. And a few are somewhere in between, showing enough to keep the door open.
Dallas leaned hard into defense in the draft, using multiple first-round picks on Caleb Downs and Malachi Lawrence as part of an effort to strengthen that side of the ball. The team kept that emphasis going for much of the draft, with only two selections going to offense. That setup has already shaped how the rookies have been used, with several of them seeing meaningful snaps on defense right away.
One player won’t get a full evaluation yet. Seventh-round pick Anthony Smith, viewed as a project from the start, didn’t make the 53-man roster and is spending the year on the practice squad. For now, he’s still an incomplete.
Devin Moore is in the same bucket. The fourth-round corner from Florida has not played yet after spending the first half of the season on IR, but his 21-day practice window has recently opened. With Dallas dealing with issues at cornerback, he could be in line for a quick opportunity once he’s healthy.
Camden Brown, meanwhile, has already found a way onto the roster after a strong offseason as an undrafted free agent. The problem is the depth chart in front of him.
That has kept him inactive for much of the year, though he finally got his first action in Week 9. Brown didn’t record a catch, but he did bring back three kick returns for 78 yards.
There’s still work to do, but he’s done enough to earn a passing grade so far.
Up front, LT Overton has been one of the more steady rookies in the rotation. He hasn’t started, but he’s been on the field for 29 percent of Dallas’ defensive snaps and has put together a solid first half for a fourth-round pick. Overton has eight tackles and a fumble recovery, and his 51.1 overall PFF grade reflects a player who has held his own in a useful role.
Drew Shelton was brought in with the idea that he might develop into a starter down the road on the right side, but his rookie year has been light on actual offensive work. He has appeared in five games, logged just five snaps on offense and added 23 special teams snaps. At this point, there are still more questions than answers.
Jaishawn Barham flashed early and gave Dallas something to think about when he stepped into the green-dot role with DeMarvion Overshown injured. He handled that assignment well enough to build some momentum, but his playing time has dipped lately, cooling some of the buzz around him.
Even so, he gets another chance to make noise in Week 10 with Donovan Ezeiruaku out against the 49ers. Dallas is thin on the edge, and Barham, who played the position at Michigan, should see more pass-rushing work than he has to this point.
That could help his grade, though overall he has lived up to where he was drafted.
Malachi Lawrence’s rookie season has had a little of everything. He started slowly, then found his footing and earned a starting job before a high-ankle sprain sent him to IR.
The injury has interrupted his momentum, but Dallas has seen enough to believe he can be a long-term starter. The next step is turning the effort into production.
Caleb Downs has carried the biggest spotlight of the group, and for good reason. He came in with plenty of hype and quickly looked like one of the smartest rookies in the class while filling a major need for the Cowboys.
The results have been mixed through nine games. He’s been beaten in coverage too often, allowing a 75% completion rate and a 107.3 passer rating when targeted.
But he’s also shown why Dallas was so eager to get him, and his best performance came against the Colts, when he delivered a game-clinching interception and added his second sack of the season.
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Cowboys Get A Live Test Of Two Recent Trade Decisions
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Odighizuwa has brought pass-rush value but has also had issues holding up against the run, which makes him worth watching against a Cowboys offense that will want to know what kind of impact he can still make. Winters, meanwhile, has had a mixed start of his own, and this matchup offers Dallas a live test of whether the move made sense on both sides of the ball, even if the fuller answer may not come until after the game. [Read more 🡒]