The Cowboys needed a couple first rounders to step up in training camp and so far, Kaiir Elam and Tyler Guyton have done their part.
The Dallas Cowboysopened training camp in Oxnard, California, on July 22 with brand new coaches and a significant portion of their previous leadership core departed. The front office's mission was to ensure plenty of depth, allowing competition to step to the forefront.
The first week is in the books, and even though the pads were off and the physicality isn’t in the game yet, the team can still learn a lot from the practices. Here are some of the big winners from the start of training camp.
TE Brevyn Spann-Ford
Brevyn Spann-Ford gets the headline, but this could apply to the entire tight end group. Jake Ferguson has had an excellent start and received a four-year extension on Sunday. Luke Schoonmaker has followed up on his solid sophomore year with a good offseason thus far, but Spann-Ford has been a revelation.
Nearly 6-foot-8 and 280 pounds, Spann-ford is an extra offensive lineman to help the run game, but everyone is hoping he develops into a pass-catcher. So far, mission accomplished. He has made a living catching the ball over the middle through the opening stanzas. If he can regularly make plays in that area and the red zone, then he could be a dominant second tight end for Dallas.
LT Tyler Guyton
Tyler Guyton has been the talk of the team, especially since the Cowboys drafted Tyler Booker to solidify the interior of the offensive line. Any content creators who were asked which breakout player would serve Dallas best, Guyton was the answer because if left tackle is set, the offensive line could be a weapon.
Guyton has made unbelievable strides, not just in his stance and knee bend, but also in his thought process, how he prepares his body, and everything in between. It hasn’t been perfect; he has been beaten on rushes, but Guyton had the frame and movement skills to be a first-round pick, and now his mindset matches as well. The improvement in his body and stance is enough to get fans excited about his future.
CB Kaiir Elam
When Kaiir Elam was acquired via trade, it was met with eye rolls and heavy sighs. Elam has immediately flipped that notion on its head. He went from being an option at cornerback while Trevon Diggs, Josh Butler, and Shavon Revel Jr. were out, to being a locked-in starter opposite DaRon Bland.
In OTAs, he made plays consistently, day after day, and that hasn’t changed in training camp. He had two interceptions in the first week; the last one came when he ran with Jalen Tolbert on a corner route and picked off Dak Prescott. He is practicing like a starting cornerback and has earned his position already in camp.
DE Donovan Ezeiruaku
The biggest winner of the first week of training camp is rookie edge rusher Donovan Ezeiruaku. His skills are evident even without pads. He has an unbelievable first step, great hands, and his understanding of how to set up a pass rush is beyond his years.
It has translated to wow moments on the practice field as he's won in multiple ways such as getting off the snap so fast people thought he was offside. He has been so good, people have speculated he could end up starting over Dante Fowler Jr. at some point this season. Ezeiruaku went from being one of the young, second-round defensive ends with potential, to being the future bookend to Micah Parsons in many people's minds. That is a hell of a first week in camp.
You can find Mike Crum on Twitter @cdpiglet or on YouTube at Across the Cowboys podcast
This article originally appeared on Cowboys Wire: 4 Winners from the first week of Cowboys training camp
Category: Football
