As the Dallas Cowboys prepared to head back to Dallas on Thursday, Brian Schottenheimer made it clear to the media that training camp wasn't over. That's certainly true, with more practices and two more preseason games to go before final cuts on August 30th.
But the West Coast portion of camp is over, and that's why we'll keep rolling with our "All-Oxnard Team" for 2026.
We already named the offensive headliners from the past three weeks. As a reminder, this recognition isn't saying who the Cowboys' best players are, but just who got the most positive attention during training camp so far.
The Cowboys defense had it easier this summer than the offense
As we switch over to the defense, it's important to note that they had an advantage over their offensive teammates when it came to making headlines.
Coming off a historically bad defensive season last year, they've simply had more eyes on them this summer. And with so many guys in their first Cowboys camp, be it the rookies, free agents, or even Quinnen Williams and Kenny Clark,the intrigue was just higher.
Also, to be fair, the bar was simply lower on defense. Prescott, Lamb, Pickens, Tyler Smith, and the lot are expected to keep being great. But on the other side of the ball, just seeing competent, competitive play out of some positions was newsworthy.
That's not a knock on the current talent, but the unfortunate standard that was set in 2025.Still, plenty of our defensive players in camp deserved more than a golf clap. Here were the standouts:
Dallas Cowboys 2026 All-Oxnard Defensive Team
DT - Quinnen Williams
You would expect Williams, arguably the best player on the entire roster, to dominate in camp. But because he's still pretty new to Dallas, Williams' greatness has yet to be taken for granted like some of the offensive elites we mentioned. The biggest news from camp was his new contract, but there were ample reports and clips of Williams giving the first-team offense, including All-Pro Tyler Smith, fits on the field.
DT - Otito Ogbonnia
With so many eyes still on Williams and Kenny Clark, Ogbonnia's arrival stayed relatively low-key up until camp. But in Oxnard, the veteran quickly drew attention for his surprising athleticism and explosiveness.
He's been more of a playmaker than anticipated, even making Schottenheimer's recent list of his 10 biggest surprises from camp. This underrated addition could be huge going forward, allowing Dallas to keep Williams and Clark fresher.
OLB - Rashan Gary
Another veteran pickup this offseason, Gary has made an immediate impact as a leader and tenacious run defender. He's quickly asserted himself and earned the respect of his peers, with teammates consistently praising Gary's influence.
While he may come off the field some on passing downs, especially now that Von Miller's here, Gary should still fill a key role this season.
OLB - James Houston
In the early part of camp, Sam Williams was making some noise for his pass-rushing success. But that seemed to cool off, especially in the first preseason game, while James Houston just kept doing his thing.
Houston continues to earn the praise of teammates and coaches for consistent production, which is more than we can say right now about young prospects Donovan Ezeiruaku and Malachi Lawrence. Assuming the Cowboys keep a fifth OLB, Houston seems to have it locked up.
ILB - Jaishawn Barham
While Caleb Downs has been as good as advertised, Barham's arguably been the standout rookie this summer. Despite transitioning from playing edge in 2025, Barham hit the camp ground running and is already in line for a key spot in the ILB rotation, if not a starting job.
Unfortunately, a groin injury kept Barham sidelined for a bit and cost him the Seattle game. But he returned to practice early this week and was electric in his preseason debut against Arizona.
ILB - Justin Barron
With DeMarvion Overshown being kept in bubble wrap and Dee Winters not garnering much praise yet, the door was open for one of the down-roster prospects to get some love.
We hadn't heard much about Barron before the joint practice against the Rams, but his three INTs that day launched his name into orbit. With a good showing in Seattle and other practices, Barron's had one of the biggest stock rises in camp.
CB - Shavon Revel Jr.
Revel came into camp with much higher expectations than some on this list, but he's exceeded nearly all of them. Fully healthy for the first time since joining the NFL, Revel looks ready to be a starting CB and perhaps excel in that role. Battling with Lamb and Pickens this summer and winning his fair share has kept consistent momentum building behind Revel.
CB - Cobie Durant
We expected Durant to provide solid veteran depth, but he's perhaps been Dallas's best CB in camp. Christian Parker knew what he wanted in his DBs this year, and Durant has been a perfect fit so far.
With DaRon Bland's health and performance still question marks, Durant's immediate impact takes a lot of pressure off of him and could save the overall integrity of the secondary.
DB - Caleb Downs
Downs was going to make headlines no matter what he did, but thankfully, they've been mostly positive. For a guy with so much hype coming out of the draft, Downs simply living up to expectations would be an amazing addition.
But his coaches and teammates have no problem throwing the word "special" around when talking about him, which is remarkable for a rookie. We may have to refill Bill Parcells' "anointing oil" flask before this season's over.
S - Jalen Thompson
Some minor injuries cost Thompson some time in the middle of camp, but early on he was earning plenty of praise as one of the new leaders on defense. With Downs and others expected to mostly handle the slot, Thompson is going to be allow to focus on the true safety role.
It's been a long time since Dallas had a significant player there, getting by for years on adequate veterans and bargain -bin signings. if the early signs prove true in the regular season, Thompson should elevate the position for the first time since at least Barry Church, if not further back.
S - Julius Wood
With Thompson and P,J. Locke missing some time, Wood has made the most of increased opportunities.
Back for another attempt with Dallas after spending most of 2024 and the 2025 offseason with the Titans, Wood has been noted time and again for his intensity and playmaking ability on the practice field, which we also saw in the first preseason game.
Making the 53-man roster still won't be easy with so many other solid DB candidates, but Wood is pleading his case well.
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