The Cowboys could get big contributions from their 2023 rookie class with three particular veterans in danger of losing their starting gigs.
With training camp quickly approaching, the Cowboys will soon find out which of their rookies are ready to compete in the NFL, which need time to develop and which aren't worth the investment. The pressure is immense.
The arrival of rookies also puts pressure on the veterans ahead of them. Get too complacent and one of those rookies might just take your job.
Which Cowboys veterans are most in danger of having a rookie leapfrog them for playing time? Let's take a look.
Cowboys depth chart: TE Luke Schoonmaker could take Jake Ferguson's job
The Cowboys let Dalton Schultz leave for Houston this offseason and opened the door for 2022 fourth-round pick Jake Ferguson to step into a starting role.
Then they used a second-round pick on Luke Schoonmaker out of Michigan and opened the door for Ferguson's starting role to be short-lived.
The consensus seems to be that Schoonmaker needs time to develop, even if he is an athletic talent who could make an immediate impact. The thing is, the Cowboys don't have the personnel to allow Schoonmaker to develop behind the scenes. He's needed now.
It's not hard to imagine a world where Schoonmaker rises to the top of the depth chart this season since Ferguson and Peyton Hendershot are the only two bodies really standing in his way. And each of them only has one season of NFL experience under the belt.
Cowboys depth chart: LB DeMarvion Overshown could take Damone Clark's job
DeMarvion Overshown was a five-star recruit as a safety coming out of high school but the 6-foot-3, 230-pound defender transitioned to linebacker during his time at Texas. Now it's up to Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn to find his ceiling at the relatively new position.
After letting Anthony Barr walk in free agency, Dallas drafted Overshown in the third round.
Barr's departure gave 2022 fifth-rounder Damone Clark a path to a full-time starting role after seeing starting action at the tail end of his rookie season. However, the addition of Overshown has turned the weakside linebacker spot into one of the bigger position battles for training camp.
Versatility is Overshown's greatest asset. His days as a safety serve him well in pass coverage while his aggressive approach as a linebacker is a boost in run defense and pass rushing. That versatility could springboard him into a starting job, whether he wins it coming out of camp or slowly works his way into more action during the season.
Cowboys depth chart: NT Mazi Smith could take Johnathan Hankins' job
The Cowboys traded to add Johnathan Hankins from the Raiders last October. The defensive lineman played just five games, starting three, before he landed on the injured reserve with a pectoral strain. He returned for two games in the playoffs.
Despite the relatively small sample size, Dallas saw enough to bring Hankins back in free agency on one-year deal for 2023.
But the Cowboys weren't done adding run-stuffers to their defensive line. Their first pick in the 2023 NFL Draft was Mazi Smith out of Michigan.
Realistically, Hankins should feel confident in his starting job with the 320-pound rookie likely playing more of a supporting role as he gets up to speed in the NFL trenches. However, whenever a team adds a player with the size and quickness of Smith, the temptation to get him out their immediately is high.
Where Hankins is a space-eater, Smith could do the same job while also bringing havoc-creating athleticism to the mix.
The Cowboys clearly see Smith as the future at the position. It's just a question of how long before he breaks through to full-time starting action.
