I recently ran across an interview with Chris Hall, Cowboys College Scouting Coordinator (and the guy with the long hair in the war room), in which he explains the expected timeline for rookies in the NFL, which apparently hasn’t changed much since the days of Tom Landry.
“All the way back to coach Landry, it was ‘by year three, you’ve got to know exactly what you’ve got in a guy.’
Year one, they’re a rookie, a lot of times their head is spinning.
Year two, they’ve kinda got a handle on how the thing works. They should be becoming the player they are.
And if they ain’t got it by year three, it’s time to move on.“ [Waves goodbye.]
Year three is coming up for the 2024 rookie class, a class that hasn’t had much of an impact for the Cowboys so far. Is this the year that changes, or is this the year the Cowboys wave goodbye to a big chunk of that rookie class?
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Of the eight-player-strong 2024 draft class, only Marshawn Kneeland (RIP) and seventh-round DT Justin Rogers are not with the team anymore. The six draft picks remaining on the roster from that draft class are joined by 2024 UDFA Brevyn Spann-Ford and three more players entering year three in the NFL but who were not originally drafted or signed by the Cowboys: CB Reddy Steward, OG Trevor Keegan, and QB Joe Milton.
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Dallas Cowboys third-year players |
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|
How acquired |
Player |
Position |
Starts |
O/D Snaps |
ST snaps |
|||
|
3 (73) |
OC |
27 |
1,828 |
73 |
||||
|
1 (29) |
OT |
21 |
1,320 |
86 |
||||
|
3 (87) |
LB |
14 |
723 |
530 |
||||
|
6 (216) |
WR |
5 |
635 |
273 |
||||
|
UDFA |
Brevyn Spann-Ford |
TE |
5 |
605 |
357 |
|||
|
Waiver wire |
Reddy Steward |
CB |
5 |
537 |
83 |
|||
|
5 (174) |
CB |
8 |
463 |
56 |
||||
|
7 (233) |
Nathan Thomas |
OT |
4 |
341 |
91 |
|||
|
Trade |
Joe Milton |
QB |
0 |
112 |
0 |
|||
|
Waiver Wire |
Trevor Keegan |
OG |
0 |
41 |
17 |
|||
This may read like a depressing list, and it’s true that at least half the players here face questions heading into their third year in the league. But that third year also holds a great promise for the ten young players here: as Coach Landry said, many players don’t fully develop until their third year in the NFL.
The assumption behind the third-year theory is that many young players need the time to learn how to hone their craft, understand the playbooks and develop physically and mentally. By now, the ten players are all familiar with the physical and mental demands of the NFL. They are familiar with the playbook (at least the seven players on offense). They should be stronger and and should be expected to compete for playing time.
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The other thing all ten guys have going for them is their youth. Young players can be mercurial. Young players can improve suddenly; they can improve in leaps and bounds; their potential for improvement is infinitely higher than that of any veteran.
The 2024 rookie class does not have the allure of newness that makes the incoming class of rookies so exciting for fans and media alike. But just because they are not this year’s shiny new toys doesn’t mean they are of no value for the Cowboys. Far from it.
Realistically, only Cooper Bebe and Tyler Guyton are locks for a starting job this season. But provided they stay healthy, most other players can be expected to compete for significant playing time.
Can the Cowboys expect breakout seasons from the players entering their third year in the league in 2026? Each player’s future in Dallas, and the Cowboys’ 2026 season, may hinge on it.
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Which payer from the 2024 rookie class do you expect to break out this year?
