There’s nothing in sports better than the underdog story; the player or team who nobody saw coming, emerging out of nowhere and into prominence. It resonates with almost every fan who dreamed of being in the NBA but never grew above 6-foot, dreamed of playing in a World Cup but had two left feet, or dreamed of playing in the NFL but their bones couldn’t take the punishment. Underdogs represent sheer will and determination, even when the physical skills aren’t up to par.
That’s all relative, of course. Underdogs in professional sports still run laps (literally and figuratively) around the armchair QBs, but they still have steep hills to climb to forge their path ahead. The Dallas Cowboys have long been a part of the underdog factory, with UDFA and late-round picks rising to stardom. QB Tony Romo is just the most famous example of players who nearly saw their pro dreams die before ever getting a chance.
So who are some underdogs who could come into their own this coming training camp, sneak up from little to no expectations from anyone, including the coaching staff? Here are a handful of fun narratives that could emerge starting next week.
OT Ajani Cornelius
There’s no secret that the Dallas Cowboys have a really strong offense. As long as QB Dak Prescott is healthy, the team routinely finds themselves in, or in close proximity to, top-5 ranking in many metrics for that side of the ball. The one roster weakness they have there, though, is at the tackle position. Neither Tyler Guyton nor Terence Steele inspire visions of Pro Bowl appearances or All-Pro accolades. Most conversations around who could challenge them are centered around Nate Thomas or this year’s fourth-round pick Drew Shelton.
But perhaps Cornelius, who is in the same position this season as Thomas was last year, could shockingly join the conversation. The No. 204 selection from 2025 out of Oregon, Cornelius was identified by this current staff as someone they hoped to develop. There are several people in his way, but the climb to the top isn’t nearly as steep as other positions.
TE Michael Trigg
There’s no question about it, the tight end in Dallas’ offense has been fed as a result of whatever else is happening on the field. Jake Ferguson is a good outlet, but he’s not a dominating force and gives nothing after the catch. His fumbling issues has made him even less of a compliment. His backups leave a lot to be desired as pass catchers, meaning that if there’s anyone with juice at the position, they have a chance to contribute.
The question for Trigg isn’t about juice; he’s a plus-level pass catcher… like highlight reel worthy pass catchter. The question is whether or not he can do the rest of the job description for being a professional tight end, and whether he can do that in the matter of one offseason. He went undrafted for those reasons, can he turn things around and become the shock player of this year’s camp.
Edge Sam Williams
Williams has been discarded by many since joining the Cowboys as a second-round pick in 2022. The Ole Miss product was part of the Dan Quinn regime, and is now on his fourth defensive coordinator. He actually started out his career relatively strongly though, with 8.5 sacks in his first two seasons. A torn ACL stole 2024, but did allow him to escape the Mike Zimmer era, but he returned for the horrible Matt Eberflus experience.
So now a year removed from his injury, he’s going to shift to more of a 3-4 OLB role under Christian Parker, and try to fight his way into the rotation that seems to have the first four spots locked in (Rashan Gary, Donovan Ezeiruaku, Malachi Lawrence, James Houston). While that seems to be the case, not a name in that group commands snaps over someone who is outperforming them, opening a lane for Williams.
LB Justin Barron
The Dallas Cowboys rearranged their linebacker corps and priorities this offseason without investing much in the position. They said goodbye to their mistakes of 2025 in Kenneth Murray, Logan Wilson and Jack Sanborn, moved Marist Liufau to the edge, traded for Dee Winters, drafted Jaishawn Barham and signed Curtis Robinson.
Barron was a UDFA out of Syracuse who played only on special teams last year. Can he prove he’s capable of being more than that? Like OT, it’s a position without a high ceiling at the moment and while he wasn’t able to prove he belonged on the field under Matt Eberflus, that doesn’t mean he can’t take the new regime and system better than he looked in 2025.
LB Shemar James
Not a lot of people were impressed with James during his rookie campaign. Many believe the team reached for him last draft, trading up in order to secure the former Florida Gator. Was he overdrafted? Forced into taking on more responsibility than should’ve been asked for him? Was he simply a victim of a putrid deployment of scheme?That staff is now gone, and James has a chance to impress Christian Parker and the new linebacker coaches. Don’t be shocked if the athleticism and thump despite the smaller frame endear him to the new guys in visors.
Safety Alijah Clark
Clark made a name for himself with one of the NFL’s best special teams plays last year, forcing a fumble on a return. But the front office always saw something in Clark, as he received one of the top guarantees of last year’s UDFA class. The question is, now that the club has finally focused on fortifying the safety position, does the new Christian Parker regime have a place for him?
Clark will look to name room for himself once camp begins. He now sits squarely behind four players in Caleb Downs, Jalen Thompson, Malik Hooker and PJ Locke. That includes the team’s top draft pick and top free-agent signing, along with a vet they asked to take a pay cut instead of outright releasing, and another former Parker disciple in Locke. The deck is stacked against Clark, but much stranger things have happened and he could be the fifth valve at the safety position with a strong camp.
This article originally appeared on Cowboys Wire: 6 under-the-radar Cowboys who could shock in 2026 training camp
Reporting by K.D. Drummond, Cowboys Wire / Cowboys Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By K.D. Drummond, Cowboys Wire | USA TODAY Network
