By Jonathan Albert Rodriguez
It is no doubt that the Dallas Cowboys are gearing up for a tough season ahead of them. With the looming trend of having a fallout year after a successful season (2007,2009), the Eagles concocting a legitimate threat to the division and the rest of the NFC upgrading their rosters, the Cowboys have their work cut out for them.
As with the constant pressure to perform every season, it is always speculated how well a new face to the franchise will perform. The Cowboys seem to have drafted an exceptional class and look for these players to make a sufficient amount of production this year with the roster troubles so far. Here is a look at a few of the rookies to watch come the regular season.
CB Byron Jones
The Cowboys’ first round draft pick will have much to prove especially with former first round pick Morris Claiborne not living up to his expectations so far. Jones in his most recent preseason action has seen time at the corner and safety positions. Now with corner Orlando Scandrick lost for the season, it’s expected that Jones will see more time than anticipated especially at the corner position.
It should be noted as well that on Monday’s practice, Jones was primarily at safety with J.J. Wilcox and Jeff Heath nursing injuries. His versatility alone should have the Cowboy faithful excited as to what he could bring to the table.
Randy Gregory will look to make an immediate impact as a pass rusher
Perhaps the most exciting rookie player to watch thus far is second round pick Randy Gregory. The new man in the number 94 uniform seems to have the potential needed in order to continue the legacy held with that number for the organization.
While of course the mantra “it’s only preseason” is heavily used, Gregory has been quite the delight to watch. His hard rush on the edge and quickness have allowed him to get to opposing quarterbacks three times in three games this season. Gregory has been hailed as a player who gets it by fellow teammates and could be a potential rookie of the year candidate.
OL La’el Collins
Collins much to the hype surrounding him has put in a valiant effort. Currently, it seems Ronald Leary will be starting come week one versus the Giants. The guard position opposite Zack Martin seemed to be his best chance at starting early on in the season but training camp sessions have seen Ronald Leary come away with the guard spot. While Collins may not see a start come Sept. 13, he adds depth to an already stout and dominant offensive line. Look for Collins to eventually blend his way in.
The Cowboys have an excellent rookie class and could possibly see more pending the roster cuts on Tuesday. The Cowboys have seen a slew of rookie players make plays in the preseason but it remains which of the crop will remain on the team. With these three rookies leading the radar watch, anything else the Cowboys manage to bring up is an added bonus.
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