ESPN ranks the Cowboys young players near the bottom of the NFL

Chris Jones-USA TODAY Sports

The Dallas Cowboys roster is at a point where they have to get production from some young players, namely the 2023 draft class.

The Dallas Cowboys have always been great at drafting players to contribute immediately. Unfortunately, their reputation took a hit last season after the 2023 class didn’t meet their expectations.

Mazi Smith didn’t flash as fans hoped, Luke Schoonmaker battled through injury to start his season, and DeMarvion Overshown was sidelined before the year began. Overshown’s timeline back to the field could be as early as training camp, but Smith and Schoonmaker are recovering from offseason shoulder surgery, so their timeline is a little murky. “Recovering from surgery” is not exactly the headline fans want to see in hopes of a bounce-back season.

The key to a successful NFL roster is having a mix of experienced and young talent to maintain a winning culture. The Cowboys have achieved three consecutive 12-win seasons, showcasing their overall talent. However, uncertainty surrounding the futures of key players like Zack Martin, DeMarcus Lawrence, and Ezekiel Elliott means that the younger players on the team will need to step up to bridge the talent gap by 2024.

ESPN Writer Aaron Schatz wrote a piece ranking all 32 NFL rosters based on only the players under 25. This is a good way to see which franchises are built for the future rather than just this season. The Cowboys’ grade from 2023 to 2024 took a nose dive—an ice-cold reminder things change quickly in the NFL.

21. Dallas Cowboys

2023 ranking: 2

Blue-chip players: OL Tyler Smith

Notable graduated players: EDGE Micah Parsons, WR CeeDee Lamb, CB DaRon Bland, TE Jake Ferguson

Dallas falls from the top of this ranking after its stars graduated out of our under-25 requirement. Young talent in Dallas now starts on the offensive line with 23-year-olds Smith at left guard, first-round pick Tyler Guyton at left tackle and third-round pick Cooper Beebe, who could win the center job over Brock Hoffman.

On defense, Damone Clark has matured into a starting linebacker and just turned 24. However, he could lose his job this year to 2023 third-round pick DeMarvion Overshown, also 24. Nose tackle Mazi Smith is 23, the same age as rookie edge rusher Marshawn Kneeland.

And yes, we also gave the Cowboys credit for backup quarterback Trey Lance. The third overall pick from 2021 came into the league very young and is just 24.

Schatz acknowledges that there’s certainly an asterisk to the exercise for the Cowboys. Blue chip players like CeeDee Lamb, Micah Parsons, DaRon Bland, and potentially Jake Ferguson all aged out of the exercise. They are, in large part, why the team was No. 2 in 2023. Left guard Tyler Smith is listed as a blue-chip player, and rightfully so. The Pro Bowl and second-team All-Pro guard has turned into one of the best at his position, and the ceiling continues to be raised on what he could become.

Even though most of those players are closer to 25 than 30, it’s not in the spirit of the thought process to round down. However, don’t let the free fall get you down too much. As quickly as the Cowboys’ ranking dropped 19 spots, it could be brought right back to the top if some of their young players take a massive step forward in the right direction.

Lot of eyes on 6’7, 328lb OT Tyler Guyton here - has been fiery in drills today pic.twitter.com/0CoVAJq4tJ

— Connor Rogers (@ConnorJRogers) January 30, 2024

Given the Cowboys’ roster turnover this offseason at multiple positions, Dallas has many eggs in the rookie/second-year player basket to alleviate a penny-pinching cap situation. The loss of Dante Fowler and Dorance Armstrong could fall on the shoulders of Marshawn Kneeland and Sam Williams. The battle at center to replace Tyler Biadasz will be between Brock Hoffman, Cooper Beebe, and T.J. Bass. Future Hall of Fame left tackle Tyron Smith left an asteroid-sized crater to be filled with first-round draft pick Tyler Guyton.

Defensive end and left tackle are premier positions, but none is more important than the quarterback position. The future of Dak Prescott in Dallas is murky at best. Dallas will be left empty-handed if both parties can’t agree on a new extension before the signal caller hits free agency in 2025. The gravity of this situation cannot be overstated.

The team tried to plan for a world where Prescott isn’t wearing a Star on his helmet by trading for Trey Lance last offseason. Lance, 24, could be the heir-apparent if a deal with Prescott isn’t signed. After not picking up his fifth-year option, Lance is on a one-year deal, too, but if he shows promise in the preseason, maybe the Cowboys jump the gun and re-sign the young quarterback for a reasonable contract before they get something done with Prescott.

If any of those four positions hit and there’s positive growth from each player, the Cowboys could be right back at the top heading into 2025. However, that’s a huge gamble. Luckily for Dallas, as mentioned at the top, their track record of developing players to contribute right away is better than most. If they can shake off the lackluster performance from last year’s rookies and get back to what they do best, Dallas could set themselves up to keep competing in the playoffs.