Cowboys Top 3 Standouts at Minicamp Day 1: Insider Notebook

The big notebook on Day 1 of Dallas Cowboys minicamp here inside Ford Center at The Star? It comes to you now ...

FRISCO - The big news came from the offensive line group. The big plays came from the linebackers group. And the big notebook on Tuesday's Day 1 of Dallas Cowboys minicamp here inside Ford Center at The Star? It comes to you now ...

THE THREE STARS - On offense, it's a guy just popping up on the radar, seventh-round rookie receiver Jalen Brooks. On defense, it's the (fully-rehabbed?) linebacker Jabril Cox. And on special teams? Some credit to the semi-overlooked Tristan Vizcaino.

OFFENSIVE LINE - A trio of major storylines here, as the Cowboys now believe Terence Steele might not be ready for start of training camp. 

“We’ll have to see when we get to Oxnard,'' said coach Mike McCarthy, and maybe that explains in part why Dallas finally unveiled the second major storyline in this group, Tyron Smith working at left tackle this week with Tyler Smith lining up at guard. (Matt Waletzko got much of the work at right tackle).

And who played right guard? Josh Ball seemed to get snaps there ... but not Zack Martin. A problem here?

“I’m fine,'' said Martin, who is dealing with a minor soft-tissue injury. "(The medical staff is) just being smart, making sure I get to training camp feeling ready to rock.”

TIGHT ENDS - "The Legend of Peyton Hendershot was in rhythm as a Dak Prescott red-zone target. Not involved, though, was rookie Luke Schoonmaker. He is out of the walking boot while dealing with plantar fascia issue but is expected to be ready for training camp.

RECEIVERS - One cannot help but notice the speed with which Brandin Cooks does ... everything. No wasted movement, all rapid movement. And on this day, also noticeable was South Carolina product Jalen Brooks, sort of forgotten in all the attention given the stars at the top of the depth chart and all of the competition at the second level led by Jalen Tolbert.

But Brooks made at least two plays that were eye-catchers, including a TD catch. And now we've got to include him as we watch Wednesday's Day 2 minicamp session.

RUNNING BACKS - McCarthy praised Tony Pollard for having “done an outstanding job in a leadership role''; of course, the quiet Pollard does that in a different fashion than the colorful Ezekiel Elliott ... but the void is maybe being filled.

Speaking of Zeke: The answer is still "no.'' ... as McCarthy said, maybe not coincidentally, "I really like the young guys” in the running backs room.

Pollard, as he recovers from a leg injury suffered in the final game of last season, will likely not work this week. Ronald Jones, Malik Davis and Rico Dowdle are taking turns with the first team.

And what's Deuce Vaughn doing? At least once he lined up wide ... a long-standing tradition here for running backs who get touted in the spring for being something that never actually shows up in an actual game.

DEFENSIVE LINE - Johnathan Hankins vs. Mazi Smith vs. Quinton Bohanna? That should be a battle, and it is ... with first-rounder Mazi eventually winning the job. but on this day, the veteran Hankins was the starter while the trio actually got a chance to line up together in a goal-line package - maybe with visions of continuing the "no QB sneak'' streak that has kept the Eagles' Jalen Hurts out of the end zone during his entire Philly-vs.-Dallas career.

LINEBACKERS - How often does a linebacker get to simulate live action in a minicamp and get to record a pass breakup in a goal-line stand? It happened once for Jabril Cox on "third down'' ... and then he did it again on "fourth down.'' What did his teammates think of the display? Read more here.

DEFENSIVE BACKS - Cowboys had scheduled 11-on-11 work in this minicamp, but decided to back off and limit things to 7-on-7. Why? McCarthy has been fined by the NFL twice in the last two years conducting workouts that the league has deemed to be "too physical'' - a CBA violation. So ... no 11-on-11 keeps the physicality down.

SPECIAL TEAMS - While the Cowboys are working to execute a plan to add a kicker, Tristan Vizcaino did his thing. He was 8-for-8 on field goals ... though owner Jerry Jones did some recruiting of his own on Tuesday.

Boxer Errol Spence Jr. showed up at The Star, and the big Cowboys fan got in a conversation with Jones that must've included the DFW native noting that he did indeed play football in his younger days.

"I used to play corner and safety (as a kid),'' Spence said, adding Jerry's joke: "He said they might have a kicking job open for me!''

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