3 Cowboys Rookies to Watch This Summer

Let's not sugarcoat it — the Cowboys defense was a mess last season, finishing with the league's worst pass defense and leaving fans wondering how a unit with this much talent on paper could look so lost on the field. That collapse is exactly why Dallas handed the keys to new defensive coordinator Christian Parker and then went out and built him a toolbox in the draft. Five of the Cowboys' picks came on the defensive side of the ball, including three straight to open the draft, and it's clear the front office wanted to give their new coordinator every piece he needs to install his scheme from day one. Parker has already been out on the practice field getting hands-on with his new pieces, and three names in particular are shaping up to be the difference-makers fans should be watching heading into camp.

Caleb Downs, Safety (Round 1, Pick 11)

Dallas landed one of the safest picks in the entire draft when it took the Ohio State standout in the first round, and it's easy to see why. Downs is the rare safety prospect who can do it all: he has the range and anticipation to erase mistakes over the top, but he's just as comfortable dropping into the box and playing downhill against the run. That kind of versatility gives Parker real flexibility in how he builds his back end, and with veterans Malik Hooker and Jalen Thompson also in the safety room, expect Dallas to get creative about getting all three difference-makers on the field at once.

Malachi Lawrence, Edge Rusher (Round 1, Pick 23)

Dallas' second first-round pick brings the kind of get-off that shows up on tape immediately — a burst out of his stance that few pass rushers in this class could match. He's spent camp fine-tuning the technical side of his game, working to eliminate false steps so that raw speed translates directly into pressure. He'll have to earn snaps behind a deep D-line that added Rashan Gary via trade and already features 2025 second-rounder Donovan Ezeiruaku, Sam Williams, and James Houston, but his ability to win the edge in obvious passing situations should get him on the field early, with room to grow into a full-time role.

Devin Moore, Cornerback (Round 4, Pick 114)

At 6-foot-3, Moore has the length to compete at the catch point that most corners simply don't, and the production to back it up — his ball-hawk instincts graded well above expected both in his final college season and across his four years at Florida. A rash of injuries is the only reason he lasted until Day 3, and he knows it, calling himself "slept on" by teams that passed on him. Now healthy and squaring off against CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens in practice, Moore has as much upside as any corner in this class and a real shot to push Cobie Durant and Shavon Revel Jr. for a starting job.

Worth remembering: none of this is settled until pads come on. Camp buzz is one thing — preseason snaps and September will tell the real story.

By Theo Marsh

Editorial Voice, The Doomsday Legacy