{"id":231541,"date":"2025-05-07T14:45:15","date_gmt":"2025-05-07T18:45:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/?p=231541"},"modified":"2025-05-07T14:45:15","modified_gmt":"2025-05-07T18:45:15","slug":"news-and-notes-from-dallas-cowboys-rookie-minicamp","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/2025\/05\/07\/news-and-notes-from-dallas-cowboys-rookie-minicamp\/","title":{"rendered":"News and Notes From Dallas Cowboys Rookie Minicamp"},"content":{"rendered":"

Rookie minicamp is the first real taste of life in the NFL<\/a> for newly drafted players and UDFAs hoping to earn a roster spot. Players met the coaching staff, familiarized themselves with the team facility, and began adjusting to the NFL system, including learning a scaled-down playbook. For the Dallas Cowboys<\/a>, it offered an early glimpse at how this year\u2019s rookie class might fit in.<\/p>\n

From Tyler Booker to the most anonymous minicamp invitee, there were plenty of early storylines coming out of The Star. Here are the top takeaways from the weekend.<\/p>\n

News and Notes From Dallas Cowboys Rookie Minicamp<\/h2>\n

Top Draft Picks Making Early Impressions<\/strong><\/h3>\n

It was well-reported during the draft process that the Cowboys loved Tyler Booker<\/a>. They lauded his toughness, maturity, and leadership\u2014something he takes very seriously. Speaking at rookie minicamp, Booker told reporters:<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m a natural-born leader<\/a>, to be the leader of this [rookie class], I take a lot of pride in that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Booker signed his rookie deal before the start of minicamp, becoming the first first-rounder league-wide to do so. He showed up ready to work and took on a vocal role throughout the weekend. Exactly what the Cowboys were expecting from him coming out of Alabama. Early signs point to Booker being a foundational piece of the offensive line.<\/p>\n

Donovan Ezeiruaku, arguably the steal of the draft, is another player the team expects to contribute right away. Praised for both his character and leadership, he impressed the coaching staff with his \u201cintentionality\u201d and coachability<\/a> throughout the weekend. Jon Machota of The Athletic shared a message<\/a> that Ezeiruaku had for the team and staff:<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m coming here to work and do whatever the coaches ask me to do,\u201d he said. \u201cIf they ask me to stand up or play over the top of the guard on some type of passing situation, or stand up and be on the edge, I\u2019ll do that to the best of my ability.\u201d<\/p>\n

Fans love to hear that, and that\u2019s the kind of mindset that resonates in a locker room. Ezeiruaku already has the athletic tools to be disruptive across the front. Combine that with his versatility and willingness to learn, and he could become a dangerous weapon early opposite Micah Parsons.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Apr 24, 2025; Green Bay, WI, USA; NFL commissioner Roger Goodell with Alabama Crimson Tide offensive lineman Tyler Booker after he is selected by the Dallas Cowboys as the number twelve pick in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft at Lambeau Field.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

One Other Notable From This Year’s Draft Class<\/strong><\/h3>\n

While Booker and Ezeiruaku will garner most of the attention, fifth-round selection Shemar James made an early positive impression. During day two, James reportedly leveled<\/a> a member of the coaching staff during a pad drill.<\/p>\n

James has also shown not only a willingness, but a desire, to contribute in any way possible. Speaking on the possibility of playing special teams, James said<\/a>:<\/p>\n

\u201cI played special teams all three years at Florida, so that\u2019s something I want to do here. It\u2019s something that I take pride in. Yeah, I hope I\u2019m on special teams.\u201d<\/p>\n

Depending on how the linebacker room shakes out, special teams might be James\u2019 biggest opportunity to make an early impact. Coaches have praised James for his energy and intensity, and fans should be excited about his potential.<\/p>\n

Undrafted Free Agent Spotlight: Traeshon Holden<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Among the undrafted free agents, wide receiver Traeshon Holden made a notable impression during rookie minicamp. The former Oregon Duck, who previously played under Cowboys wide receiver coach Junior Adams, expressed his determination to prove doubters wrong after going undrafted:<\/p>\n

\u201cI was hurt,\u201d Holden admitted. \u201cThat 24-hour rule, I was hurting. But now, I\u2019m here, and I\u2019m ready to make it happen. I\u2019ll do what I can to show everybody that I belong.\u201d<\/p>\n

He also made one thing clear when asked about his mindset<\/a> for minicamp:<\/p>\n

\u201cProve everybody wrong. I\u2019m coming for heads. That\u2019s it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Holden has a long way to go before proving he deserves a spot on the 53-man roster, but he made sure his name is officially on the radar.<\/p>\n

Brian Schottenheimer\u2019s Culture Already Taking Root<\/strong><\/h3>\n

It\u2019s early in his head coach tenure, but head coach Brian Schottenheimer<\/a> is already displaying his unique approach to building chemistry<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s like my daughter\u2019s boyfriend,\u201d Schottenheimer said. \u201cI\u2019ll say somebody\u2019s name and he\u2019ll be like, \u2018Oh, yeah, that\u2019s my guy.\u2019 I\u2019ll be like, \u2018He\u2019s not your guy. You don\u2019t even know him.\u2019 Yeah, I know these guys, but I don\u2019t know them as well as I need to know them to lead and to be the head coach of this football team.\u201d<\/p>\n

Okay, that\u2019s a little weird. But, whatever. Regardless, his approach is authentic and underscores his commitment to fostering deeper connections within the team. Schottenheimer believes that understanding his players beyond the surface level is crucial for effective leadership.<\/p>\n

Beyond personal relationships, Schottenheimer is also making tangible changes to the team\u2019s environment. During the first team meeting, he moved the team\u2019s seating arrangements. He also overhauled the locker room setup, moving away from the traditional position-based assignments. Most notably, he placed Micah Parsons and Dak Prescott together\u2014arguably the two best players\u2014aiming to promote leadership and unity across different team groups.<\/p>\n

His emphasis on energy and enthusiasm is resonating with the players. Rookie running back Phil Mafah noted<\/a>:<\/p>\n

\u201cThe coaches have so much energy on this staff. It allows the players to be themselves\u2026We just feed off each other.\u201d<\/p>\n

Schottenheimer\u2019s leadership style seems to be setting a new tone for the Cowboys. But hey, it\u2019s new. Let\u2019s see how endearing that energy is if the team starts slow. But for now, his influence is shaping a culture centered on unity, accountability, and mutual respect.<\/p>\n

Early Returns Feel Positive<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Nobody\u2019s handing out depth chart spots after rookie minicamp, but the energy around this group is trending in the right direction. Tyler Booker looks and acts the part. Donovan Ezeiruaku brings real juice to the front seven. UDFAs like Traeshon Holden are out to prove they belong. Coach Schottenheimer? He\u2019s putting his stamp on the culture.<\/p>\n

Training camp will provide better answers to who is the real deal and who is just a camp body. But for now, Dallas has a few reasons to be encouraged by what it saw over the weekend.<\/p>\n

Main Photo: Jason Parkhurst-Imagn Images<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Dallas Cowboys rookie minicamp takeaways include standout efforts from Tyler Booker and one UDFA, plus updates from Brian Schottenheimer.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5534,"featured_media":231826,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[36,19],"tags":[3487,7422,31996,33279,32867],"class_list":["post-231541","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nfl-news","category-cowboys","tag-brian-schottenheimer","tag-dallas-cowboys-news","tag-nfl-rookies","tag-shemar-james","tag-tyler-booker"],"modified_by":"Will Koshover, Editor","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/231541","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5534"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=231541"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/231541\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":231827,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/231541\/revisions\/231827"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/231826"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=231541"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=231541"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=231541"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}