5 Cowboys players to keep an eye on in NFL preseason Week 1

2. Nahshon Wright, cornerback

One position group the Dallas Cowboys need some guys to step up for depth is at cornerback. Nahshon Wright was a third-round pick for the Cowboys in 2021 and has played in just 20 games over his first two NFL seasons with an interception last year.

Dan Quinn has been giving Wright a good number of reps throughout training camp and Wright has been taking advantage, especially going up against some of the team's top receivers:

Having Wright step up and play a bigger role at corner this season would be huge for the Cowboys. The former Oregon State corner has a 6-foot-4 frame which really gets people excited. Especially when you see how that size can be so advantageous downfield as Wright is able to flip his hips and not only match speed but then win at the catch point?

He's going to be fun to watch in the preseason.

3. Mazi Smith, defensive line

Well, who's not looking forward to seeing the Dallas Cowboys' top pick in action? Right?

Mazi Smith recently told the media that he doesn't like football, he likes hitting people. The rookie out of Michigan hasn't been getting a ton of hype like Cowboys rookies usually do, but it makes sense because of the position he plays. Although you hope there could be a Grady Jarrett-like emergence for Smith at some point in the future, it's going to start with upgrading a defensive front that ranked 22nd in the league against the run last year.

While you want to see Smith upgrade the run defense, for sure, you also wouldn't hate if he was creating pass rush opportunities for himself and others by knifing through the line of scrimmage.