OXNARD, Calif. — Dallas Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer was asked Thursday to name five players who have exceeded his expectations in training camp. He named ten and said so while he was doing it.
Schottenheimer started with the rookie safety and worked outward from there.
“Caleb Downs, special young player. Rashan Gary‘s leadership has jumped out at me, and as a player, you guys know that,” Schottenheimer said. “Tito, I mean, you talk about a guy that we thought we were getting maybe a run stopper. This guy’s a good football player, damn good football player, massive, really strong with his hands. Very proud of Shavon.”
“I’m just going to keep ripping names. You asked for five, but I’m answering,” Schottenheimer continued. “So I’m answering. Yeah, Shavon Revel, yep. Jonathan Mingo, Camden Brown, Tyler Guyton, Javonte Williams, Ryan Flournoy, Bryan Anger, however old he is. He just hit a couple 75-yard punts. But it’s been a great camp. It really has, and there’s been a ton of guys that have stood out.”
Caleb Downs
Dallas took Downs 11th overall in April out of Ohio State. He was a unanimous All-American in each of his last two college seasons, won the Jim Thorpe Award and the Lott IMPACT Trophy, and was Big Ten defensive player of the year and defensive back of the year. He posted 68 tackles, 5 tackles for loss, and 2 interceptions in his final season.
Downs is the highest-drafted Ohio State safety since Malik Hooker in 2017. The two are now teammates.
Rashan Gary
Gary signed with Dallas this offseason and is the most experienced outside linebacker on the roster. Green Bay drafted him 12th overall in 2019.
Otito Ogbonnia
Otito Ogbonnia is in the interior rotation behind Quinnen Williams and Kenny Clark. Schottenheimer said the Cowboys thought they were getting a run stopper and have gotten more than that.
Shavon Revel Jr.
Shavon Revel Jr. was a third-round pick in 2025 out of East Carolina, where a knee injury ended his final college season. The recovery slowed his rookie year in Dallas.
This is his first fully healthy offseason. The Cowboys declared on July 28 that no player would open camp on the physically unable to perform or non-football injury lists, which cleared Revel and DaRon Bland to practice from the start, though Schottenheimer said both would be monitored.
Revel bumped the repaired knee against another player on the first day of practice in Oxnard. He was not limping afterward and said he was fine.
Jonathan Mingo And Camden Brown
Jonathan Mingo has 61 career receptions for 610 yards and caught 2 passes for 20 yards at Seattle. Camden Brown, an undrafted rookie out of Georgia Southern, caught both Dallas touchdowns in that game and finished with 3 receptions for 62 yards.
Tyler Guyton
Tyler Guyton is competing with Nate Thomas at left tackle. Dallas drafted him 29th overall in 2024.
Javonte Williams And Ryan Flournoy
Javonte Williams is the lead back and did not play at Seattle. Ryan Flournoy is the third receiver.
Bryan Anger
Bryan Anger is the punter. Schottenheimer said he had hit a couple of 75-yard punts in camp.
Thursday was the Cowboys’ last practice in Oxnard. Dallas plays at the Arizona Cardinals on Saturday, holds open practices at Ford Center at The Star in Frisco on Aug. 25 and Aug. 26, and closes the preseason against the New Orleans Saints at AT&T Stadium on Friday, Aug. 28, at 7 p.m. CT.
