Cowboys 2026 roster rundown: OL DJ Wingfield
There will be plenty of undrafted rookies in the Cowboys’ 2026 training camp, but few with a story like DJ Wingfield’s. After missing all of 2025 over an eligibility issue, Wingfield hopes to keep his NFL dreams alive despite the ugly end of his college career.
Background
Years in NFL: 0
Acquired by: UDFA (2026)
After graduating from high school in 2019, Wingfield played for a few years at local community college. He joined the New Mexico Lobos from 2022-2023, playing mostly right guard but a little tackle as well. He then transferred to Purdue for one year, starting all 12 games at guard.
In 2025, Wingfield transferred to USC with the promise of a substantive $210k NIL deal. But he didn’t realize that he’d exhausted his college eligibility, and the NCAA denied an appeal to allow him to play for the Trojans. Wingfield sat out for a year, but USC did allow him to participate in their Pro Day last March. It wasn’t enough to get him drafted, but Wingfield signed with Dallas in May after a tryout during their rookie minicamp.
Contract Status
Years Left: 3
2026 Cap Hit: $885k
Given his extended college career and what happened last year, Wingfield is an old rookie at 25. He’ll already be 28 when this rookie deal ends, if he sticks around that long.
2026 Projections
Role: Backup OL
Roster Chance: 10%
USC threw a lot of money Wingfield’s way last year, so there’s reason to be intrigued. The Cowboys’ offensive line is going to be tough to crack, though maybe a little easier now for a guard prospect than a tackle. Dallas had signed veteran Matt Hennessy to likely replace Brock Hoffman as an interior backup, but he’s out for the year now following an offseason neck injury.
Even still, Wingfield will have to go through a gauntlet of options to make the roster. T.J. Bass has one reserve spot locked down. After the Hennessy injury, Dallas signed G/C Chris Glaser from the UFL, who also has a little NFL experience from 2023-2024. Then there’s Trevor Keegan, who made the roster last year, plus veteran Nick Leverett who was on last year’s practice squad. Throw in position flex for tackle prospects like Nate Thomas and Ajani Cornelius, and it’s clear Wingfield will have to be one of the biggest surprises of camp to stick around.
It can happen, though. Wingfield need only look over at Terence Steele, who nobody saw coming as a UDFA in 2020. Injuries helped Steele get into games, but it was a shockingly good camp that put him in position. Given Wingfield’s unorthodox entry to the NFL, who knows how quickly he might start distinguishing himself from other backup prospects?
The Cowboys have a knack for finding talent in unusual places, and Wingfield has a chance to be the next success story for Will McClay’s crew. Steele and other UDFAs have taught us that what happens over the next month is far more important than how you got here. Wingfield will have plenty of competition, and may have to take being on the practice squad as a victory. But given how last year went for him, even still being in the fight is an accomplishment.
Check out our previous player profiles from this series:
RB Israel Abanikanda | P Bryan Anger | K Brandon Aubrey | S Justin Barron | G T.J. Bass | C Cooper Beebe | CB DaRon Bland | RB Jaydon Blue | G Tyler Booker | CB Josh Butler | CB Caelen Carson | S Alijah Clark | DT Kenny Clark | OT Ajani Cornelius | RB Malik Davis | S Caleb Downs | DT Tommy Dunn | CB Cobie Durant | OLB Donovan Ezeiruaku | TE Princeton Fant | TE Jake Ferguson | WR Ryan Flournoy | OLB Rashan Gary | C Matt Hennessy | S Malik Hooker | OLB James Houston | QB Sam Howell | WR Jordan Hudson | LB Shemar James | WR Tyler Johnson | G Trevor Keegan | CB Derion Kendrick | WR CeeDee Lamb | OLB Isaiah Land | OLB Marist Liufau | S P.J. Locke | FB Hunter Luepke | RB Phil Mafah | QB Joe Milton III | WR Jonathan Mingo | CB Devin Moore | DT Otito Ogbonnia | DT L.T. Overton | LB DeMarvion Overshown | QB Dak Prescott | CB Shavon Revel | TE DJ Rogers | TE Luke Schoonmaker | OT Drew Shelton | LS Trent Sieg | WR Anthony Smith | G Tyler Smith | TE Brevyn Spann-Ford | OT Terence Steele | CB Reddy Steward | OT Nate Thomas | S Jalen Thompson | DT Jay Toia | TE Michael Trigg | WR KaVontae Turpin | WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling | OLB Tyrus Wheat | RB Javonte Williams | DT Quinnen Williams | OLB Sam Williams | LB Dee Winters | DT D.J. Withers | S Julius Wood
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