When most people think of the Dallas Cowboys defense, they think of stars like Micah Parsons, Trevon Diggs, DeMarcus Lawrence, and the newly acquired Stephon Gilmore.
Yet, there are plenty of young players on that side of the ball that Dallas has added under the current regime — and many of them have begun to make strides toward more significant roles this season.
“I think, clearly, when you look at our defense, if you just look at the distribution of draft picks the last four years, it speaks volumes to what we were obviously focused on,” head coach Mike McCarthy said as he met the media before Thursday’s practice. “I think you’re now seeing it come to light. I think the players and coaches have done a tremendous job through the offseason, and I feel really good about our depth there.”
“So, you look at the guys, as you say, the big-name players, but our depth on defense to me looks how it’s supposed to look,” he continued. “I’m just real impressed with our young guys, excited to see everybody play Saturday, but I think, clearly, our younger players on defense are further ahead than our offensive guys right now. That’s a real credit to just the commitment to draft and develop, and we’ve got a lot of guys [who] can play over there.”
Dallas has spent 21 draft picks on defensive players since McCarthy arrived, including eight in 2021 and four more this year. Many have begun to impress the coaches in training camp, and at least nine are expected to play impactful roles on one of the NFL’s top units this year.
One player that has impressed the staff and could join that group is third-year linebacker Jabril Cox. Drafted by the team out of LSU in the fourth round of the 2021 Draft, Cox began his career at FCS powerhouse North Dakota State, where he was the leader of a defense that won three consecutive national championships, before transferring to LSU for his final season and finishing with the third-most tackles on the team.
Cox has only played in 16 NFL games, primarily on special teams, and has dealt with ACL issues the last two seasons. Yet, the team still believes in him, and McCarthy has seen him improve.
“I think he’s back,” the coach replied when asked about Cox on Thursday. “I think, just like anything, when you go through that major joint injury, it takes time. You have to go through everything the first year. You can see him now. He’s pulling the trigger pretty much seamlessly now, where before, you’d get in those [tough] spots — especially the special teams part of it, too. He’s having a really good camp.”
Cox will get his first chance to carry his training camp performance into a game setting as the Cowboys host Jacksonville on Saturday.
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EXTRA POINTS
— Mazi Smith and Tyler Biadasz returned to practice Thursday after missing Tuesday.
— San Francisco 49ers wide receiver and former Baylor standout Jalen Hurd and Detroit Lions running back Justin Jackson have retired from the NFL at age 27.
— Former NFL defensive back Bashaud Breeland was arrested on Tuesday and faces six charges, including possession of drugs and possession of a stolen firearm.
— Running back Kareem Hunt left his visit with the Indianapolis Colts without a deal.
— San Francisco 49ers CEO Jed York is being sued for alleged insider trading.
— Anthony Richardson, the fourth overall pick in April’s NFL Draft, will start the preseason opener for the Indianapolis Colts against the Buffalo Bills on Saturday.