4 Dallas Cowboys draft picks that could shine in Week 1

After a relatively quiet NFL offseason and a lack of major signings in free agency, the Dallas Cowboys are hoping a few of their draft picks can have an immediate impact. Dallas will enter the 2024 campaign with four first-year players who will start and see significant playing time at center (Cooper Beebe), left quarterback (Tyler Guyton), cornerback (Caelen Carson) and linebacker (Marist Liufau).

These Cowboys were built around veterans, but now they’ll be looking to rookies as key players this season. Usually, when an NFL team has to start with so many rookies, most of them weren’t high picks. Even Guyton, who was selected in the first round by Dallas, was the 29th overall pick. The Cowboys are a team that’s expected to be around late in the season, so these young players need to be able to get on the field and play this year.

The third-round pick out of Kansas State will step into the starting lineup for a team with high expectations. Beebe moves from guard to center, overseeing an offensive line that has anchored one of the most explosive offenses in years. While Beebe is a position changer, he is extremely physical and should have no problem transitioning to the pros.

“I’m ready to go,” Beebe said. “This has been my dream forever, and knowing there are six days left is unreal. There’s so much excitement around it and I just can’t wait for this weekend.”

“When I got here, I was really nervous,” Beebe explained. “I hadn’t really played that position. I think I was really shy about not messing it up, and now I’m playing freely there. I’m confident… I’ve got a lot of great help around me. If I don’t see something right, I’ve got guys who can check me, and that gives me total confidence.”

After 13 years of Hall of Fame-level play at left tackle, Tyron Smith is no longer with the team, and the Cowboys are looking to rookie Tyler Guyton to fill his shoes. Selected in the first round of April’s draft, selecting Guyton 29th overall was called “risky” by some, but after seeing his work ethic in the offseason and into training camp and the preseason, it’s likely that this Oklahoma Sooner could pay dividends quickly.

“My first experience was Zoom when I was at the Combine,” head coach Mike McCarthy said. “I loved his personality and I loved his story. These young men, their journey and what they’re going through. I think it’s important to assess where their foundation is and what you need to build on.”

When it comes to Liufau, you’ll hear a lot of the stereotypes we’ve grown accustomed to when it comes to American football players. But they’re all true for this third-round draft pick out of Notre Dame. Intelligent, versatile, plays with a high motor and excellent athletic ability. Playing at Notre Dame, Liufau seems poised for an NFL experience on the road as a Dallas Cowboys player.

“You either love Notre Dame or you hate them, so wherever we go on the road, everybody hates us,” Liufau said. “That helped me grow as a player and how to deal with those environments and solve them.”

“The details that the coaches go through to really lay out the game plan for us, detailing the personnel, what our opponent likes to do,” Liufau said of the coaching staff’s preparation. “Then again, the attention to detail from the players is next level. Everyone is aware of what they’re doing on the field and in the meeting room.”

Dallas didn’t draft Carson in Week 1, but with a foot injury, DaRon Bland, the fifth-round pick out of Wake Forest, has been in the spotlight. Fortunately, Carson has impressed all summer and feels ready for prime time. With Trevon Diggs returning from an ACL injury, Carson should have plenty of opportunities to show teams how ready he is for prime time.

“I’m more than prepared,” Carson said. “I wouldn’t say I expected it, but I’m ready. … If you make it bigger than it is, it’s a big moment for you. It’s going to be (like) any other game. I’ve been playing football my whole life, so I feel like nothing changes.”

“It’s just more people and you’re on TV, but at the end of the day I’ve been doing this since I was five.”