Training camp superlatives: Which Dallas Cowboys performed best in Oxnard?
The Dallas Cowboys’ 16 practices at their training camp home in Oxnard, California, came to a close Thursday, and the regular season is now less than three weeks from kicking off in Philadelphia on Sept. 4.
The Cowboys will still hold training camp practices back in Frisco before making final decisions on their 53-man roster Aug. 26.
Here were some of the standouts from the team’s stay in Southern California.
Offensive MVP: WR KaVontae Turpin
Don’t expect KaVontae Turpin to be a 700-yard receiver this season, but don’t be surprised if his offensive value sees a sharp uptick in the first year under Brian Schottenheimer.
With each practice, Turpin made a play in the receiving game that resulted in a big gain, from tunnel screens to quick drag routes and deep crossers to even getting snaps at running back. His increased knowledge of route concepts is starting to show as he enters his fourth season.
And while he has already cemented himself as one of the league’s best return threats with two Pro Bowl nods, he looks poised to add even further value to his name with an increased offensive role.
“No fear, that’s the kick return mentality,” Schottenheimer said of Turpin. “He doesn’t need a lot of space. ... He’s just dynamic. He’s a weapon. This is a guy that can impact a game. ... He’s just a guy we want to move all over the field.”
Defensive MVP: CB Kaiir Elam
There were a lot of questions surrounding the cornerback position going into camp — and, granted, there still are — but Kaiir Elam has been a breath of fresh air for a room that is waiting to get back multiple injured players.
After being acquired from the Buffalo Bills in a trade this offseason, Elam has shown up in multiple practices with interceptions and pass deflections. His man coverage abilities have shown up, and even the zone concepts he struggled with at times in Buffalo have seen improvement under his new system in Dallas. Elam finished training camp with a team-high three interceptions.
“He’s playing with a lot of confidence,” Schottenheimer said. “He’s been the same guy every day since he got here when we signed up. He had a really good spring. ... He’s one of those guys that has elite feet, elite change of direction, but I see him growing in the mental side of it. A change of scenery helps a lot of people.”
Best Rookie: DE Donovan Ezeiruaku
From the beginning of camp through the end, the pass rush ability from rookie second-round pick Donovan Ezeiruaku was on full display, along with his pass coverage ability and feel in the run game.
Ezeiruaku will be the first to tell you that there are still some things to refine in even the best parts of his game, but the flashes he has shown in Oxnard have the Cowboys’ coaches and front office gleaming with excitement about the prize they found at pick No. 44 in April’s draft. Micah Parsons or not, Ezeiruaku figures to factor into the team’s pass rush plan as early as Week 1.
“The reason we drafted Donovan is what we’re seeing now,” defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus said. “Work ethic, talent, balance, power, speed. That’s what we see. He’s a wonderful teammate, and he grinds every day. He’s doing a nice job of progressing.”
Biggest Surprise: OL Nate Thomas
When starting left tackle Tyler Guyton went down with a knee sprain early in training camp, the Cowboys had a handful of options to move into his place for his expected four- to six-week recovery period. Third-year lineman Asim Richards drew praise last season when he filled in for Guyton at times, and the team brought back La’el Collins during camp.
Of all of the options to step in at left tackle for the remainder of camp, Nate Thomas had to be one of the least-expected alternatives.
After being drafted in the seventh round of the 2024 draft, Thomas missed the entirety of his rookie season battling knee tendinitis and didn’t even step on the field in a practice environment before this offseason. But since his return, he has quickly risen up the depth chart into a place where he could be in line for a Week 1 start if Guyton is not ready to go.
“When he came here, we had Guyton,” Schottenheimer said. “We saw a big powerful guard [in Thomas]. ... But just watching Nate work and prepare this offseason and train ... it was probably the second or third day of OTAs where we were like, ‘We need to put him outside and see what he can do.’ When we watched it that very first day, it was like, woah.”
Most Consistent: WR CeeDee Lamb
It’d be criminal to not include CeeDee Lamb on any list involving training camp standouts. Giving Turpin the nod at offensive MVP spoke more toward his massively increased role, but Lamb had just as much of a case for the same honor.
The addition of fellow wide receiver George Pickens will do a lot toward opening up Lamb in the Cowboys’ offense this season, and that was on display during the team’s time in Oxnard. From reconnecting with Dak Prescott after his quarterback missed nine games last season to finding some increased involvement in the screen game, Lamb is trending toward yet another Pro Bowl-level season going into his sixth year. Each day, Lamb showed up with multiple catches and proved to be the reliable target he’s been through five seasons.
“My technique is obviously something that I can fix,” Lamb said about how he can be better in 2025. “I do things right, but I look at the things I do wrong so I can capitalize. I want to see what it’s like to have no drops. I want to see what it’s like when I have a season when I don’t slip, when I do block. There’s so many things in this game I know I can be better at.”
Best Sophomore: LB Marist Liufau
The Cowboys talk a lot about the “second-year jump” that they expect players to take when they have their first full offseason with the team, and that seems to be trending for linebacker Marist Liufau.
After being selected in the third round of the 2024 draft, Liufau earned a sizable role on defense as a rookie and stepped into a starting role after the loss of DeMarvion Overshown late in the year. His experience has now compounded with an offseason that has seen him lean down and directly play into Eberflus’ attack style of defense.
“He played as physical as anyone on the defense [in the team’s first preseason game],” Schottenheimer said. “He’s playing as confident as anyone right now. It’s jumping off the film.”
Best Undrafted Player: CB Zion Childress
Every year, there is at least one undrafted player who makes a mark in training camp, and this year’s Cinderella story belongs to Zion Childress.
From working with the third-team unit in OTAs to ending camp on Wednesday with the first-team unit throughout the entirety of practice, Childress has quickly earned trust in the battle for the starting nickel cornerback job.
From stepping up in the run game (team-high six tackles in the team’s preseason opener) to shining in coverage, Childress has played well beyond his years in Oxnard and will now look to translate that momentum back to Frisco as he finds himself in the thick of potentially starting in Week 1.
“He’s done a great job of picking up things,” Schottenheimer said. “He’s great in meetings, asks great questions. ... To me, when guys come in, you just know they get it. This is a business. ... He is a guy that has done that.”
