The Dallas Cowboys are an NFL team that's not afraid of playing rookies and the numbers prove it. 

But how many starters, backups, and 53-man roster members did Will McClay and Co. take in the 2023 NFL Draft? Well, that will be decided by the players themselves during the offseason workouts, training camp, and even during the preseason games. 

Let's have some fun and try to predict what role every one of their draft picks will play once the season starts. 

2023 Cowboys rookies: Predictions for each draft pick’s role

DT Mazi Smith: Immediate starter

Those are the two words that come out of Will McClay’s mouth in the caught-in-camera War Room debate moments before drafting Smith. The first-round rookie out of Michigan provides a legit nose tackle threat that should be an upgrade over Jonathan Hankins. 

However, Dan Quinn's Cowboys defense features a ton of hybrid looks so expect Smith to carry a relatively light workload as a rookie. That should only boost his level of play considering he averaged 45 snaps per game in college. He'll be fresher every time he takes the field for Dallas.

TE Luke Schoonmaker: TE2 going on TE1

This one has to be the toughest one to correctly predict. Schoonmaker will have an all-out war with second-year tight end Jake Ferguson. Chances are, they’ll split playing time for a large portion of the offseason and even share the playing field as the Cowboys will likely want to exploit two-tight end sets consistently.

However, a top dog always emerges. And if I had to place a wager on one of the two, I'd have to back the better athlete. Schoonmaker's upside is significantly higher than Ferguson's as he scored a 9.86 Relative Athletic Score. 

LB DeMarvion Overshown: Special teams ace / Backup LB

Overshown’s role on defense is somewhat hard to nail down just yet. Keep in mind, the Texas LB is a former safety. That means Dan Quinn could be looking at him as a potential Jayron Kearse replacement or as some sort of hybrid defender. For now, I’ve got him as LVE’s and Damone Clark’s backup at linebacker.

However, Overshown is set to play a monumental role on special teams. Luke Gifford led the Cowboys with a 77% snap count last year and those have to be replaced by somebody after Gifford left for the Tennessee Titans. Enter Overshown.

DE Viliami Fehoko: Healthy scratch

Fehoko’s rookie season will be interesting. He could even be moved inside by the Cowboys to exploit his refined use of hands against interior offensive linemen. As a fourth-round draft pick, I see him as a lock for the 53-man roster but he’ll probably start out as one of the healthy scratches considering the talent the team has upfront. 

OL Asim Richards: Backup

A fifth-round draft pick, Richards has the length to play tackle in the NFL. But the Cowboys could also use him inside. I’d be surprised if we don’t get to see Richards at some point this season filling in for an injured player. 

CB Eric Scott Jr.: Late-season practice squad call-up

This might be the most intriguing rookie in terms of what will his role be. In my way-too-early 53-man roster projection, Scott Jr. missed the cut. I think he has a legit chance to make the cut, though. Kelvin Joseph’s and Nahshon Wright’s jobs aren’t secure and even C.J. Goodwin’s special teams role should be up for grabs. However, that top four made up of Trevon Diggs, Stephon Gilmore, DaRon Bland, and Jourdan Lewis looks rock-solid to me. 

Clearly, the Cowboys liked Scott Jr. They even traded to the top of the sixth round of the NFL Draft in order to land his services. If he doesn't make it, I can see him being a late-season call-up from the practice squad. 

RB Deuce Vaughn: No. 3 running back

Vaughn’s dynamic play-making ability should earn him a spot on the roster. He can make defenders miss and can be a receiving threat out of the backfield. His size might keep him from emerging as RB2 right away but he’ll have a significant role in certain situations. 

His electrifying play could turn him into a surprisingly powerful weapon if things go right for him, though. 

WR Jalen Brooks: Practice squad

The Cowboys have an interesting situation cooking at wide receiver. The way I see it, there are only three locks to make the team: CeeDee Lamb, Michael Gallup, and Brandin Cooks. Even Jalen Tolbert is at risk of being cut following his rookie season but I have a hard time envisioning him out of the roster.

After that, KaVontae Turpin will fight for a spot as the return specialist. Not contributing a lot on offense means he's facing an uphill battle even after a productive season on special teams.

That final spot could go to any of the team's younger guys. From Simi Fehoko to Dennis Houston to Brooks or any of the UDFAs the team brought on.