Up or down at Cowboys camp?
We’ve had three days of practice at the Cowboys’ 2025 training camp. Who’s been making impressions, both good and bad, so far in Oxnard? Here’s our latest stock report.
Naturally, it’s still early. Some guys may still be finding their groove in a new system, and others may look better without pads on. There is still a lot more to come in these dog days of summer, including preseason games, which will ultimately decide who wins coveted roster spots and depth chart positions.
STOCK UP
TE Jake Ferguson
There is plenty of reason to be bullish on Ferguson in 2025. Contract season, getting healthy again, Dak Prescott’s return, and now having George Pickens to draw defensive attention all work in his favor. And if early reports mean anything for the regular season, TE1 is taking advantage of all of them.
Prescott and Ferguson have been connecting often in practice. And this is the first week of camp, when the focus is more on executing plays by design. Ferguson will likely get even more targets in real games when Prescott is working through his options and seeing Ferguson enjoying what Pickens and CeeDee Lamb open up for him.
DE Donovan Ezeiruaku
The rookie is already making noise, especially on Day 3, and proving difficult for anybody to stop. With the athleticism to blow past slower blockers and pass-rushing moves to win his battles, Ezeiruaku may be coming for a major share of the DE snaps early.
This isn’t to say that others like Dante Fowler or Marshawn Kneeland haven’t been good. We’ve seen evidence that all of them are making plays. But it’s Ezeiruaku who is dominating out there, and getting valuable work while Micah Parsons isn’t on the field. If he keeps this going into September, Dallas may have struck gold in the draft.
OT Nate Thomas
An afterthought among our backup offensive linemen this season, Thomas is getting noticed now in Oxnard. He missed last year with knee issues but has shown up this week, emerging as a potential swing tackle candidate and earning direct praise from Brian Schottenheimer.
For all of their depth at the interior line, the tackle spots remain dubious. It felt like Asim Richards was going to win the swing job by default, or at least backup LT, but now Thomas may make it a true competition. And as we’re about to see, more depth at tackle is no small matter.
STOCK DOWN
OT Terence Steele
This is not about anything Steele’s done on the field, but that he’s now going to be missing from it due to a high ankle sprain. It may only be a few days, according to reports, but that’s valuable time for Steele as he looks to solidify his starting role.
This season is crucial for the sixth-year veteran. The Cowboys have a good out from his contract in 2026, shaving $8.75 million off the cap, but he’s still just 28 and could earn continued loyalty with a strong performance. Given the stakes, anything that could impede his progress is of extra concern.
DT Mazi Smith
With reports that Smith is again losing weight and working towards more of 3-tech role, it’s starting to feel like the beginning of the end for the former first-rounder. This is what they tried to do with him as a rookie, which didn’t bear fruit, and then last year they beefed him up to play 1-tech. Now we’re bouncing back the other way, and all of this indecision means a lack of continuity and a harder time developing.
Granted, this is a new defensive coaching staff. Maybe they have a better vision for what to do with Smith once he makes the transition. But with Osa Odighizuwa already your primary pass-rushing DT and Solomon Thomas now here as his backup, you have to wonder how many snaps Smith can even get in this role to prove his value.