3 most important Dallas Cowboys who aren’t starters

2. Sam Williams, EDGE

As of now, it appears DeMarcus Lawrence will be starting across from either free-agent addition Dante Fowler Jr. or returning Cowboy Dorance Armstrong when the season begins. Lawrence is the unquestioned leader of the defensive line but after losing Randy Gregory in free agency, they’re leaning on Fowler and Armstrong as the primary second option at defensive end.

They did, however, use their second-round pick on another EDGE who should factor in their potential success this year. Sam Williams out of Ole Miss is a 6-foot-4, 265-pounder who had 12.5 sacks in the SEC last season and joined Dallas via the 56th pick overall.

When selected, Williams was favorably compared to Gregory due to the fact that each has an insanely quick first step when coming out of the snap. Williams can also keep it going, evidenced by his 4.46 speed in the 40-yard dash at the Scouting Combine.

This isn’t to say he will be a huge playmaker from day one, especially with his issues against the run. Instead, he’s likely to be a rotational edge rusher who comes out for obvious passing downs. That means he could find himself on the field for some important plays as a rookie, which will give him a chance to prove his worth early in his career.