Every year, a few Dallas Cowboys players capture the imagination of fans during training camp in Oxnard, California. Sometimes those August standouts translate their buzz into regular-season production (kind of how Dak Prescott’s career started) . Sometimes it’s just the magic of camp (hey there, CB Kaiir Elam). 

With the Cowboys heading into a big 2026 season, three names stand out as players who will generate significant conversation once practices begin. Let’s break it down.

CB Devin Moore

This one might not be on every fan’s radar, and that’s exactly why he makes the list. Moore is a fourth-round rookie cornerback who hasn’t gotten much attention because everyone has been zeroed in on Cobie Durant and Shavon Revel Jr. and the ongoing conversation about whether or not DaRon Bland will be healthy.

But Devin Moore is not your typical Day 3 pick.

He exited college as someone who could play solid man coverage, solid zone coverage, and showed physicality as a run defender. The biggest reason he fell to the fourth round was an extensive injury history that caused him to miss over half of his college career. That’s saying a lot. When Moore is healthy, though, he can play. That will take some folks off guard. And as far as we know, he should be healthy when camp begins.

Moore feels like one of those guys who will flash in practice, make a few splash plays in preseason games, and get fans buzzing. My warning? Don’t bet on him for a large role on defense right away. I expect him to be one of the top backups on the roster and a 53-man roster lock. However, the combination of limited college experience and his availability concerns means it will take time before he’s a legitimate candidate for the Cowboys’ starting lineup.

TE Michael Trigg

This is the name you may have heard a little more about, ironically not because he was drafted but because he wasn’t. Trigg signed as an undrafted rookie, and he’s already making noise.

Everyone knows that Luke Schoonmaker and Brevyn Spann-Ford will battle for the No. 2 tight end spot behind Jake Ferguson. But as I wrote about last week, Schoonmaker’s roster spot could be in danger, and Trigg is a big reason why. He had some trouble in college with multiple suspensions across multiple programs, but the talent is real.

At 6-foot-4, Trigg is a massive target for quarterback Dak Prescott in the passing game. He looks like a tight end but can play like a big slot receiver. He’s explosive, and he made some spectacular contested catches in college. I think Trigg can carve out a role on this offense because he brings something to the table that Ferguson doesn’t, that Schoonmaker doesn’t, and that Spann-Ford doesn’t.

He reminds me of John Stephens Jr., a Cowboys rookie who was making big plays before suffering an unfortunate injury during the 2023 preseason. Stephens Jr. was well on his way to earning a roster spot as an undrafted rookie before that setback. Trigg has that same kind of energy about him, the type of player who will make spectacular catches in practice and force the coaching staff to find a way to keep him around.

S Caleb Downs

This is the obvious pick. I’m aware of that. But hear me out.

Caleb Downs is going to be much more than a training camp darling. I think he’s going to have such a dominant camp and preseason that Cowboys fans will find themselves fighting the urge to raise expectations even higher. We’re going to be telling ourselves he’s a rookie, that he needs time to develop, that we should be fair to him. 

And yet, based on what coaches have already said, Downs is going to keep proving that he doesn’t make the same mistake twice. His football IQ is going to allow him to play at a Pro Bowl level even as a first-year player.

The hype heading into camp will already be over the top. He’s still going to exceed it. That’s what makes Downs worth watching despite being the most predictable name here.

Honorable mention: RB Jaydon Blue

It feels like Blue already earned training camp darling status last year, but I don’t care. He makes the list. Work ethic, consistency, all the boxes checked. Blue should pick up right where he left off last preseason and carry that momentum into a big summer.