OXNARD, Calif. — Shavon Revel Jr. did not get much of a chance to compete for a starting job during his first NFL training camp. A year later, the Dallas Cowboys cornerback is making a real push for one.
Dallas listed Revel and Cobie Durant with an “or” designation at one outside-cornerback spot on its first unofficial depth chart, opposite DaRon Bland.
Joseph Hoyt of The Dallas Morning News reported that Revel’s camp continued to trend upward during Tuesday’s joint practice with the Los Angeles Rams. According to Hoyt, Revel broke up passes against Puka Nacua and Davante Adams, including an end-zone throw that nearly became an interception.
Hoyt also reported that Revel recovered to break up a downfield pass from Matthew Stafford after Nacua created separation with a double move.
After facing Nacua and Adams, Revel said the Rams matchup felt easier because of the caliber of receivers he practices against daily in Dallas.
“That felt easy,” Revel said. “Because I’ve been doing it every day against — in my opinion, personally — the best receivers in the league and I felt that throughout this camp. When we played the Rams, I was like, ‘Damn, this is easy.’ It’s nothing because I’m guarding these guys every single day.”
Nacua led the NFL with 129 receptions and 1,715 receiving yards last season. Adams enters the year with 1,017 career receptions, 12,633 receiving yards and 117 touchdowns.
Shavon Revel Jr. Gets Full Offseason
Dallas drafted Revel No. 76 overall in the 2025 NFL Draft after a torn ACL ended his final season at East Carolina after three games.
The injury carried into his rookie season. Revel opened his rookie training camp on the non-football injury list and later had another knee setback in Oxnard. He did not make his NFL debut until Week 11 against the Las Vegas Raiders.
He appeared in seven games, finishing with 35 tackles and three passes defensed.
Revel said the extended absence made it difficult to regain the technical consistency required at cornerback.
“I missed a whole year and a half of football,” Revel said. “People don’t understand that your technique and all that can really go away. The game can come at you fast when you get back on that field.”
Hoyt reported that Revel watched tape from his East Carolina career earlier in camp while working to reconnect with the player he was before the ACL injury.
No similar rehabilitation schedule hung over Revel this offseason. He participated in the Cowboys’ offseason program and arrived in Oxnard ready to practice.
Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer said Revel’s improvement has followed a willingness to accept coaching and a greater command of the details.
“He wants to be coached,” Schottenheimer said of Revel. “He’s the first guy in the room and asking good questions and there’s no mistaking why he’s playing with more confidence now than he was last year.”
Developing Beyond Press Coverage
Hoyt reported that Revel’s length and recovery speed stood out during the Rams practice. The Cowboys have also worked with him on off coverage and zone concepts, emphasizing the timing and transition required to turn and run.
Revel is getting those reps in a secondary that has changed around him. Durant signed with Dallas in March after four seasons with the Rams. He played all 17 games last season and had three interceptions. Caelen Carson is also back, while rookie Caleb Downs has been taking nickel reps inside.
Bland remains at the other outside spot after playing 12 games last season.
The group is now working under defensive coordinator Christian Parker, the Cowboys’ fourth coordinator in four seasons. Dallas allowed a franchise-record 511 points in 2025 and finished last in the NFL at 251.5 passing yards allowed per game.
Dallas practices again Friday before traveling to Seattle. The Cowboys open the preseason against the Seattle Seahawks at 7 p.m. CT Saturday at Lumen Field.
