OXNARD, Calif. – Training camp is the time to separate yourself from the pack.
No position seems to have more a "pack" of players in the mix than wide receiver, especially after the top three spots. Amari Cooper is the team's No. 1 receiver and after that, Cobb and Gallup have things locked down.
After that is rather unclear, with a bunch of receivers seemingly moving up and down with each practice.
As it stands here in early August, with four preseason games still to play, the staff of DallasCowboys.com decided to take a stab at ranking the receivers, and their status of making the team at the end of the preseason.
There are a few positions that are hard to predict right now and wide receiver is one of them. Here's a projected look at where things stand, ranking the 11 receivers from the top to the bottom.
1. Amari Cooper: Whether or not he has been the best receiver here in camp, he's definitely the No. 1 receiver on the team. And he will be for many years to come – at least that's the plan. His contract talk hasn't affected his play on the field. In fact, Cooper has stressed the importance of being here and working with Dak Prescott and the entire offense as the main reason he never considered holding out. On the field, he's been really good and giving these cornerbacks a tough test in every drill.
2. Michael Gallup: Quietly, Gallup is having one of the best camps of any player here in Oxnard. With Cooper banged up a little and Cobb having his share of vet days, Gallup has been the primary focus in several of these practices. For the most part, he has shined and looks like a player who has taken a big step heading into his second season.
3. Randall Cobb: His spot as the third receiver and primary slot guy seems locked in. There was one practice that wasn't Cobb's best by far, but since that he's been solid, including a good scrimmage performance on Sunday. He might be as productive as Cole Beasley but just in a different way, with a little more help down the field.
4. Tavon Austin: This might be the hardest one to place on the list because he could literally be anywhere from fourth to ninth. Austin could be dependent on what the other guys are doing around him. If there's a chance to go younger, the Cowboys will probably do that. Then again, Austin is a dynamic player when he's healthy and there's no guarantee that one of these young guys can do what he's done in his career. Right now, he is practicing well and likely makes it, but he's got other young guys breathing down his neck.
5. Noah Brown: Again, this list is about where they stand on the depth chart and not what they've done in Oxnard. If not, then Brown would obviously be last because he hasn't been on the field, still rehabbing his knee injury. But the coaching staff really likes what Brown gives them in terms of size and blocking ability. He's got some improving to do in terms of a receiver, but it's likely the Cowboys will continue to groom him along when he comes back from injury. No other receiver on this list can be as physical as Brown so it appears he will have a place somewhere.
6. Jon'vea Johnson: Johnson could've been as high as four because he has been working with the first-team unit at times when there have been injuries and/or vet days to the top guys. Johnson might be an undrafted free agent, but he possesses a great combination of size and speed that many of the other receivers don't have. He's also been productive on the field and it seems unlikely that he won't be in the mix at this point. Then again, we've got four preseason games to play.
7. Reggie Davis: If this was a relay team, Davis might be your anchor. He'd definitely be in the top four because he can flat out run. But he's certainly not the biggest. So far, he's been making plays down the field and even underneath, showing off his route-running ability. He made a nice play in the scrimmage on Sunday, but then fumbled the ball when he was hit. The preseason games might be as important to him as any player on this team.
8. Jaylon Guyton: He might be a little low on this ranking, and could only need one or two big plays in the preseason games to get himself right there in consideration to make the team – not just the practice squad. The Cowboys were big on both him and Johnson and he's been pretty good out here at camp. He's pretty strong and fluid with his route-running. Once the consistency improves, he might be hard not to keep around.
9. Cedrick Wilson: Someone has to be ninth. That's really the best way to describe Wilson at this point. He makes plays, and makes them down the field. Right now, he's not getting the same number of opportunities but he's really not that far behind. He's gotten a lot stronger in the offseason and that should help him when the games begin. Plus, he's from Boise State – that has to count for something with this team, right?
10. Devin Smith: If Reggie Davis isn't the anchor to that relay team we mentioned, then it would be Smith. He can certainly run as well as anyone but he doesn't always translate that to the field. He just needs more opportunities and that could happen this week in San Francisco. All it takes is him to run by defenders for one big play and we'll come back to Oxnard the next week talking about where Smith fits into the equation.
11. Lance Lenoir: It's hard to think a guy running with the first unit at one point in the offseason can be this far down the list. But he's not only injured at the moment, but it's clear the Cowboys will look to get some other players more reps. The one thing that helps Lenoir jump back over some of these others is his ability to play multiple spots. However, it doesn't appear that he will get as many reps as the others.
