Rookies Rising: 5 To Watch on Cowboys OTA Day

Let's watch the rookies - specifically a set of five that either might be ... or need to be ... on the rise ...

FRISCO - The Dallas Cowboys will continue to have their rookies and their veterans mix and mingle as the second team OTA session is on this week here inside The Star, with Thursday  media access.

Let's watch the rookies - specifically a set of five that either might be ... or need to be ... on the rise ...

5: WALETZKO

My focus here is at swing tackle, where Dallas is done with the idea of the one-year vet contract ... and is going to get one of the kids - second-year prospect Josh Ball or late-round rookie Matt Waletzko - try to win the job. Last week, those two got to share first-team snaps at left tackle with Tyron Smith out. ... and Waletzko got tsk-tsk'ed for a false start.

Is the rookie really ready to be Tyron's caddy?

4: GARIBAY

Sources have suggested to CowboysSI.com that Dallas having just Texas Tech rookie Jonathan Garibay on the roster at kicker should not be taken as a sign that he's "the guy.'' This might be a rotating door all summer ... but say this for Garibay: Only one Cowboy has the chance to prove himself now.

Because he's the only one Cowboy around here who's a kicker.

3: TOLBERT

I have reported that Dallas might not be done here, in terms of examining the idea of signing another vet. (No, not "Deebo in Dallas.'') But as it stands now? It's CeeDee Lamb and then two guys, rookie Jalen Tolbert and young vet newcomer James Washington, formerly of the Steelers, competing for the next slot in the pecking order.

So, it's Lamb, Tolbert (see "He's Awesome!'') and Washington, rehabbing Michael Gallup, and then another level of guys that includes Noah Brown and Simi Fehoko and T.J. Vasher, among others.

But at last week's OTAs, Washington and Tolbert were dinged up and didn't work. The Cowboys would like to see at least Tolbert this week.

And so would I. There is a hole to fill here. Or, a "hole'' can be looked at as an opportunity. But as they used to say back in the olden days, "You can't make the club from the (trainers' room) tub.''

2: FERGUSON

Dalton Schultz might have himself a new tag-team partner in Jake Ferguson. (See "Make Moose Proud.'') Remember when Schultz and Blake Jarwin were going to be a two-headed monster, and then, in 2021, Schultz was the single head?

I say not to concern yourself too much with Sean McKeon and Jeremy Sprinkle - but last week, those two guys lined up in drills ahead of Ferguson, essentially making the fourth-rounder from Wisconsin look like a fourth-teamer.

We know that isn't the plan. So why not go ahead and accelerate the plan?

1: SMITH

As in "Tyler.''

As is the case with Ferguson, his rookie status means he hasn't yet been boosted up the depth chart. So last week, first-rounder Tyler Smith was the second-team left guard behind Connor McGovern. That's a very polite way to respect a vet.

But ...

The Cowboys admit Tyler is "raw.'' Every day, every snap, matters. And the sooner he gets in synch with the rest of the first team - "mix and mingle,'' right? - the better off the Dallas offense will be.

This week, at OTAs, I'd like to see the "sooner'' with Tyler Smith.

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