Keeping An Eye On These 8 Players Thursday Night

FB Sewo Olonilua - I just now have figured out how to say his name – both first and last – correctly. By the way, it's SHAY-woe OH-lawn-uh-loo-uh – if you're wondering at home. Since we've got that out of the way, I'll be pulling for him to make some plays. Actually, he's an intriguing player because of his versatility. He's a big running back but has fullback skills and some H-back traits as well. We know Mike McCarthy likes to have guys like this on his team so it'll be a great opportunity for the guy his teammates called "WOE." –Nick Eatman

S Israel Mukuamu - Not sure why I picked two guys that I could easily misspell, but here's another guy that is intriguing because of his size. A former cornerback at South Carolina, Mukuamu has a lot of length to his game. He's a safety but will probably line up a lot in the slot to cover tight ends. For him, let's watch how he tackles in space and how he performs on special teams. – Nick Eatman

WR Osirus Mitchell - Through the offseason and into training camp there have been few receivers who appear as reliable as Mitchell has in practices. His 6-foot-5 frame and better-than-advertised quickness each match the qualifications of what kind of receiver the offense has been searching for. He enters the preseason fighting for the fifth or even sixth spot on the depth chart against others like Noah Brown and Semi Fehoko, who each have a leg up because of their ability on special teams. So, when Mitchell takes the field Thursday, it's not just about what he can do as a pass catcher, but the impact he will have on special teams that will seal his fate. – Kyle Youmans

DT Osa Odighizuwa - There have been very few players this offseason that have gotten me as excited as third-rounder Osa Odighizuwa. His ability to move the line of scrimmage and eat up multiple blockers on the interior of a remade defensive line has started a buzz. However, much of what we've seen from him has come without pads on or on his collegiate tape. Thursday will be his first opportunity to produce against an NFL offensive line, and one that is going through multiple changes as well. Expect a big day of stopping the run and providing some interior pass rush from the 295-pounder. – Kyle Youmans

QB Garrett Gilbert – This one's obvious. With Dak Prescott still resting his strained shoulder muscle, Gilbert is likely to start Thursday night and have a chance to lead the offense in a game for the first time since he almost led the Cowboys to an upset win over the then-undefeated Steelers last November. Mike McCarthy is right: the defense does seem to be a little ahead of the offense at this point in training camp. Some of that is due to Prescott's current absence in team drills and some other starters either being held out of practice or taking limited reps. But Gilbert has made some nice plays downfield in recent days, including a beautiful deep-ball touchdown to CeeDee Lamb on Tuesday. The Cowboys say they like their current group of backup quarterbacks but will keep their eyes open for more competition. Gilbert has a chance this preseason to make them feel a little more comfortable about the situation. – Rob Phillips

DT Quinton Bohanna – The camp competition at defensive tackle is fierce. Then again, no player on the defensive line has Bohanna's exact skill set. At 330 pounds, his presence could help the Cowboys solve their run defense woes from 2020. But he's quicker and more agile off the snap than you might expect from a player with his frame. He might be looking at a pretty hefty snap count Thursday night, too, and that's exactly what every young player needs. It'll be interesting to see how disruptive he can be inside over this four-game preseason schedule. – Rob Phillips

WR Simi Fehoko – With all due respect to all these talented receivers, it's easy to show out as a wide receiver at training camp. Fehoko has looked great to this point in camp, showcasing his athleticism and a solid pair of hands. But at training camp, you get targeted a dozen times a day between individuals, seven-on-seven and team reps. What happens during a game, when he'll be fortunate to receive three or four targets for the entire night? Opportunities are harder to come by in live action, and I'm curious to see if Fehoko can capitalize and make the most of his. – David Helman

LB Jabril Cox – I wouldn't say the rookie linebacker has been good or bad through the first eight practices. To be blunt, I don't think we've seen enough of him to formulate an opinion. With so many talented linebackers ahead of him on the depth chart, reps have been hard to come by. If I had to guess, though, he's going to see a lot of snaps against the Steelers. Playing well in a game is a quick way to shift the training camp narrative, no matter what's been happening during practice. Cox's camp has been quiet so far, but I'm hoping he gets the opportunity to change that Thursday night. – David Helman

LB Micah Parsons - Here's a bonus guy that didn't make anyone's list. But it should be a given. Everyone will be watching the first-round draft pick in his first game. Who knows just how long he will play, but the big question with Parsons is just where he will line up. From the looks of practice, Dan Quinn has him all over the place and that will be something of note as he plays a few snaps Thursday night. – Nick Eatman