CFZ Cowboys will have the most rookie starters in NFC at beginning of season

[Bobhaze]

It’s easy to be excited about the 2024 Cowboys rookie class. As of today, 7 rookies made the 53 man roster and likely 4 of those rookies are projected to either start or see significant playing time in Cleveland. We will learn a lot about these rookies starting next Sunday. So far, this rookie class has outshined the 2023 class.

So who will our rookie starters likely be for opening night in Cleveland? As of today it will be LT Tyler Guyton, C Cooper Bebee, CB Caelen Carson and LB Marist Liafau. DE Marshawn Kneeland will also probably see significant snaps as well. I’m very excited to see how these guys perform under the regular season bright lights.

Also, it’s interesting to see that the Cowboys starting 4 rookies is the most in the NFC. This will change as the season goes along of course, but as of today here are how many rookie starters each NFC team will have according the depth charts provided at “Our Lads”:

• Cowboys: 4
• Rams, giants: 3
• Bears, packers, Bucs, cards: 2
• Niners, lions, egirls, vikings, panthers, saints, commanders: 1
• Falcons, seahawks: 0

Starting 4 rookies is exciting but does also have some roller coaster qualities. Even the most talented rookies can have great games followed by a bad one. All part of the learning process. Starting multiple rookies is a two sided coin. It speaks well of their talent and potential to start right away.

But rookies can also have a learning curve that takes some patience. It’s extremely rare for a rookie to immediately be a starter and play at a consistently high level. We will see starting next Sunday. Can’t wait to see how these guys perform.

 

[jgboys1]

This is the only thing that I am looking forward to this season. What can the rookies and young guys bring to the table? We have all know and seen what the veterans will end up doing and its not very impressive!

 

[Bobhaze]

This is the only thing that I am looking forward to this season. What can the rookies and young guys bring to the table? We have all know and seen what the veterans will end up doing and its not very impressive!

Like you, I’m excited about our rookie class. But IMO it will occasionally give us some gray hair but young players with big upside are always fun to watch.

Interestingly in the last 4 seasons, half of the teams that had the most rookie snaps made the playoffs and obviously half did not. Really underscores the coin flip of depending on multiple rookies.

 

[gtb1943]

4 really is not that many; though two on the o line is a bit of a worry.
Carson is only starting due to injuries.

What is telling about this years rookie class as a whole is how few are starting for the bad teams.

of the Dirty Dozen, I think more started that year then this

 

[maryquality]

It’s easy to be excited about the 2024 Cowboys rookie class. As of today, 7 rookies made the 53 man roster and likely 4 of those rookies are projected to either start or see significant playing time in Cleveland. We will learn a lot about these rookies starting this Sunday. So far, this rookie class has far outshined the 2023 class.

So who will our rookie starters likely be for opening night in Cleveland? As of today it will be LT Tyler Guyton, C Cooper Bebee, CB Caelen Carson and LB Marist Liafau. DE Marshawn Kneeland will also probably see significant snaps as well. I’m very excited to see how these guys perform under the regular season bright lights.

Also, it’s interesting to see that the Cowboys starting 4 rookies is the most in the NFC. This will change as the season goes along of course, but as of today here are how many rookie starters each NFC team will have according the depth charts provided at “Our Lads”:

• Cowboys: 4
• Rams, giants: 3
• Bears, packers, Bucs, cards: 2
• Niners, lions, egirls, vikings, panthers, saints, commanders: 1
• Falcons, seahawks: 0

Starting 4 rookies is exciting but does also have some roller coaster qualities. Even the most talented rookies can have great games followed by a bad one. All part of the learning process. Starting multiple rookies is a two sided coin. It speaks well of their talent and potential to start right away.

But rookies can also have a learning curve that takes some patience. It’s extremely rare for a rookie to immediately be a starter and play at a consistently high level. We will see starting Sunday. Can’t wait to see how these guys perform.

Hey Bob, what are the rookies doing this Sunday? Did you mean next Sunday when we play our first game?

 

[ChronicCowboy]

Carson and ML are starting due to injuries so I’m not sure it really counts. Carson will obviously sit once Bland is back, but I expect ML to claim that job considering Overshown has shown absolutely zero.

 

[Bobhaze]

Hey Bob, what are the rookies doing this Sunday? Did you mean next Sunday when we play our first game?

Ooops…meant Sunday, Sept 8th. My mistake! Thanks. I went back and corrected that.

 

[gtb1943]

Carson and ML are starting due to injuries so I’m not sure it really counts. Carson will obviously sit once Bland is back, but I expect ML to claim that job considering Overshown has shown absolutely zero.

IT is not a given that Liafu is starting due to injuries

 

[Coogiguy03]

Maybe not starting but playing significant amounts of time compared to other years from our rookies

 

[gtb1943]

Looking things up, there were not that many of the Dirty dozen starting that year; but in two years over half of them were.
2005 we had Dware, Spears, Canty and Ratlif all starting in the front seven

 

[Creeper]

By my count, there are 24 players drafted by the Cowboys since 2020 on the roster, 12 are starters. Another 6 or so will contribute substantially as rotational players.

I suspect some of these players will not be here after their rookie deals expire. Some because they are just JAGs and others, like DaRon Bland who will be too expensive to keep.

There are only 2 players left from the 2020 draft - Lamb and Diggs. Biadasz and Gallimore left as a free agents. Reggie Robinson, Bradley Anae, and Ben DiNucci were the other picks and were all cut.

From the 2021 draft 4 players remain. Parsons, Odighizuwa, Golston and Mukuamu. Josh Ball is on the practice squad. Kelvin Joseph, Jabril Cox, Simi Fehoko, Quinton Bohanna, and Matt Farniok were cuts. Nahshon Wright was traded For Andrew Booth.

From the 2022 draft, only John Ridgeway and Devin Harper are gone. 7 other draftees remain.

From the 2023 draft, Viliami Fehoko and Eric Scott were cut, 6 other draft picks made the team.

From the 2024 draft, 6 players made the team, Nathon Thomas was injured/reserved and Justin Rogers was waived and picked up by the Bengals.

To me this looks like a pretty good drafting record overall, but I do not know how it compares to the rest of the league. I would also note that just because these draft picks are on the roster does not mean they are good players. Since the Cowboys build through the draft they may retain players other teams would cut and replace with free agents. Then there are players, like Biadasz who started, but the Cowboys were unwilling to pay them market contracts. I think we may see that with Odighizuwa and Golston after this year.

 

[rambo2]

This is the only thing that I am looking forward to this season. What can the rookies and young guys bring to the table? We have all know and seen what the veterans will end up doing and its not very impressive!

Lamb, Prescott, and company are very impressive.

 

[fivetwos]

By my count, there are 24 players drafted by the Cowboys since 2020 on the roster, 12 are starters. Another 6 or so will contribute substantially as rotational players.

I suspect some of these players will not be here after their rookie deals expire. Some because they are just JAGs and others, like DaRon Bland who will be too expensive to keep.

There are only 2 players left from the 2020 draft - Lamb and Diggs. Biadasz and Gallimore left as a free agents. Reggie Robinson, Bradley Anae, and Ben DiNucci were the other picks and were all cut.

From the 2021 draft 4 players remain. Parsons, Odighizuwa, Golston and Mukuamu. Josh Ball is on the practice squad. Kelvin Joseph, Jabril Cox, Simi Fehoko, Quinton Bohanna, and Matt Farniok were cuts. Nahshon Wright was traded For Andrew Booth.

From the 2022 draft, only John Ridgeway and Devin Harper are gone. 7 other draftees remain.

From the 2023 draft, Viliami Fehoko and Eric Scott were cut, 6 other draft picks made the team.

From the 2024 draft, 6 players made the team, Nathon Thomas was injured/reserved and Justin Rogers was waived and picked up by the Bengals.

To me this looks like a pretty good drafting record overall, but I do not know how it compares to the rest of the league. I would also note that just because these draft picks are on the roster does not mean they are good players. Since the Cowboys build through the draft they may retain players other teams would cut and replace with free agents. Then there are players, like Biadasz who started, but the Cowboys were unwilling to pay them market contracts. I think we may see that with Odighizuwa and Golston after this year.

Your last paragraph got it right. Nailed it actually.

There aren’t enough good players of that group. “Made the team” is all relative.

Too many higher picks have been blown for the ‘draft only’ philosophy to actually work….if you’re trying to win championships that is.

Even if it actually did, you’d never be able to keep them all. It’s an extremely flawed approach but I really don’t think Stephen wants championships at the expense of some down seasons.

 

[big dog cowboy]

Overshown has shown absolutely zero.

 

[Reid1boys]

This was all part of their plan. This is why they didnt go sign a bunch of free agents or vets. Early returns are the 2 rookie lineman are hits. By the way, the only reason the CB is going to start is because of injury.

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

I don’t know if this a good or bad thing lol…..good for our future though.

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

This was all part of their plan. This is why they didnt go sign a bunch of free agents or vets. Early returns are the 2 rookie lineman are hits. By the way, the only reason the CB is going to start is because of injury.

Yeah it was their plan. I don’t know if it was a smart one though.

 

[jgboys1]

Lamb, Prescott, and company are very impressive.

So are their salaries!

 

[ErikWilliamsHeadSlap]

Step in the right direction. The old blood haven't been getting it done. Replace and move on.

 

[Diehardblues]

Amazing how much better we are drafting OL than DL.

One side a hit on almost every early pick. The other side a bust on almost every early pick.

Imagine if we had hit as big on defense as offense . Might have had much more success this era.