The Dallas Cowboys preseason is underway, and the rookie class is already generating plenty of conversation. From undrafted surprises to first-round growing pains, these five rookies tell the story of where Dallas stands heading into the regular season. Let’s break it down.

Jaishawn Barham is the biggest surprise of Cowboys camp

The rookie who stands to make the biggest impact on the 2026 Cowboys might be somebody nobody expected to start: linebacker Jaishawn Barham. The Michigan product did not play in the preseason opener because of a groin injury, but he is back at practice and has been working with the first-team defense. 

What has made Barham exceed the hype is that he’s reached a point where the Cowboys defense appears ready to have a plan for him from Week 1. This isn’t about him starting over Dee Winters or DeMarvion Overshown. This is about him becoming the chess piece that defensive coordinator Christian Parker had in Philadelphia with a linebacker who can play off-ball, walk down to the edge, drop back into coverage, and rush the passer from the A-gap.

Parker himself said the Cowboys had a vision for Barham, and it’s coming to life. You don’t usually expect a third-round pick to be in this conversation, to be on the starting defense. But with Barham, that seems to be the case. He may not overtake Winters or Overshown on the depth chart, but there will be plenty of defensive packages where Dallas turns to Barham.

Michael Trigg is threatening Luke Schoonmaker’s roster spot

Tight end Michael Trigg wasn’t drafted, but the Cowboys paid him the most guaranteed money out of anyone in their 2026 undrafted free agent class. The challenge he faces is steep: the player he’s trying to beat on the depth chart is former second-round pick Luke Schoonmaker. On Saturday night, Trigg looked like the better player.

Trigg caught four passes for 30 yards and blocked well in the preseason opener. Yes, he played later in the game against lesser competition, but what exactly has Schoonmaker shown to deserve a guaranteed roster spot? Schoonmaker has been an inconsistent pass catcher with 49 catches in 51 career games. He’s had drops he shouldn’t have had. He can block, but he’s not a tight end with Brevyn Spann-Ford’s run-blocking ability. On Saturday, Trigg got the job done as a blocker too. That’s not good news for Schoonmaker.

Trigg was projected by many to be a fourth- or fifth-round pick before off-the-field concerns caused him to go undrafted. He’s a known name. If he continues to have a strong preseason, is he going to go unclaimed on waivers? Not likely. Right now, he’s on pace to make the 53-man roster. The question becomes whether the Cowboys carry four tight ends or make the major decision to cut Schoonmaker.

Camden Brown came out of nowhere

At least Trigg was on the radar. But undrafted rookie wide receiver Camden Brown out of Georgia Southern came out of nowhere. He is perhaps the most consistent rookie receiver on the Cowboys right now, more than seventh-round pick Anthony Smith, and more than SMU product Jordan Hudson. Brown is making plays in practice and in training camp, and in the preseason opener he scored two touchdowns, one from quarterback Joe Milton and another from Sam Howell.

Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer said after the preseason opener they need to continue seeing this from Brown, but he also said Brown is doing this every day. Schottenheimer also shouted out Brown for his work on special teams and for doing the little things to earn a 53-man roster spot. Camden Brown is exceeding the hype, and Cowboys fans should be excited.

Malachi Lawrence needs time

Not every rookie is ahead of schedule, and that’s fine. First-round pick Malachi Lawrence makes the list of players not quite exceeding the hype. Listen, in my eyes, people have overly criticized his preseason opener against the Seattle Seahawks. It wasn’t a bad outing. Lawrence showed off his motor and pressured the quarterback multiple times, but he also made mistakes.

The most notable came on a one-on-one against the Seahawks’ right tackle. Lawrence crashed inside to rush from the B-gap, leaving quarterback Jalen Milroe all the space in the world to bounce outside and scramble for a big gain. Lawrence should have known he didn’t have a quarterback spy behind him and needed to contain Milroe. That said, it’s very much so a fixable mistake. You get in the film room, you see what you did wrong, and you move on.

The bigger concern is Lawrence’s false step, something analyst John Owning has highlighted in his film breakdowns on X. That false step keeps Lawrence from getting into a favorable position to win his matchup. It allows the tackle to get set, and as offensive line coaches say, a block is won with the feet first. Until Lawrence cleans up his footwork, NFL tackles will have an advantage. His impact will probably be smaller than expected in Year 1, and Cowboys fans should shelve their expectations until Year 2.

Drew Shelton’s move to left tackle raises questions

Fourth-round rookie Drew Shelton out of Penn State probably needs an entire year to beef up. He looks small. Play strength was an issue in the preseason opener, which was already a concern in his scouting report going into the draft. There was a moment against Seattle where the Seahawks’ defensive tackle shoved Shelton backward with alarming ease.

What makes this confusing is the Cowboys’ decision after the opener to try Shelton at left tackle in Monday’s practice. According to Schottenheimer, they’re experimenting with the move. Nate Thomas wasn’t impressive either, so the change is understandable, but is Shelton the answer right now? With his current play strength, that’s hard to see. Shelton needs time in the weight room before he’s ready for a bigger role.