Two Young Cowboys Who Are Ready To Take the Next Step
The Dallas Cowboys played their season opener on Thursday against the reigning Super Bowl champions. Despite the loss, Dallas can hold its head high, knowing it put forth a strong effort in the game. Dak Prescott had an impressive performance, even if the stat sheet doesn't fully reflect it, making perfect throws that were unfortunately dropped. The presence of Trevon Diggs in the secondary stood out massively, holding A.J. Brown to zero catches until the very last drive of the game. While the stars shone for the Cowboys, a few young players made their presence felt in a significant way.
Left Tackle Tyler Guyton showcased the skills that warranted his first-round draft selection last year. He entered the game after missing the entire preseason and the last four weeks leading up to the season. Head Coach Brian Schottenheimer trusted starting him off of injury, and he delivered, being part of the offensive line group that gave up no sacks. Guyton even went viral on social media after he essentially punched the head of the Eagles' pass rusher on a Prescott completion for CeeDee Lamb. Guyton's development is crucial for the Cowboys, especially after a disappointing rookie season marked by injuries and inconsistent performance, which even led to him being benched at times. It was a big test for Guyton against the Super Bowl champions, but a performance like that lets Prescott breathe from his blindside.
Marshawn Kneeland, coming out of the draft in 2024, was getting comparisons to Demarcus Lawrence, and that is how he played versus Philadelphia. Multiple tackles, one being for a loss, stuffing the middle of the lane. He recorded the Cowboys and the games, with only one sack on Hurts early in the third quarter before the weather delay. Last year, Kneeland, similarly to Guyton, went through injuries quite a bit, but in his time on the field, he showcased his capabilities. Kneeland is now one of the most important members of this young Cowboys' pass-rushing group, and he needs to continue making these plays if the Cowboys hope to be able to get to the quarterback post Micah Parsons.
