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Cowboys’ rookies aren’t standing out in recent weeks

Originally posted on Inside The Star
By Richard Paolinelli | Last updated Dec 20, 2025 9:52 AM ET

Aside from their first round pick out of Alabama, Tyler Booker, the rookies for the Dallas Cowboys had a very quiet night overall in Sunday’s loss to the Vikings.

The rookies have been mirroring the team’s overall play over the last few weeks. That hasn’t always been a good thing.

Over the season’s final three weeks, it will be interesting to see how the Cowboys approach their rookies.

Dallas seems set with Booker, and second-round pick Donovan Ezeiruaku, as both players have been steady contributors.

Third round pick Shavon Revel remains an enigma. The Cowboys say they like what they’ve seen from him so far.

However, Revel has been getting burned in coverage far too often.

Then there is their two rookie running backs, Jaydon Blue and Phil Mafah.

Blue has seen limited action and has been inactive for several weeks now. Mafah has been stuck on IR the entire season.

Dallas needs to find out exactly what they have in this class.

Here’s how the rookies fared on Sunday night.

Tyler Booker (OG)

Booker’s biggest contribution was avoiding a personal foul for unnecessary roughness while simultaneously drawing a facemask call against the Vikings’ Levi Drake Rodriguez.

Booker did take all 70 snaps on offense and another nine (28%) on special teams.

Donovan Ezeiruaku (DE)

Donovan Ezeiruaku had a somewhat quiet night on Sunday. He finished with two tackles on 39 defensive snaps (70.9%) and one snap (3.1%) on special teams.

Shavon Revel Jr. (CB)

Revel had five tackles, including a nice one for a loss on a running play by Aaron Jones early in the game.

But he continues to get beat by opposing receivers. He was beaten by Jalen Nailor for a 23-yard pass play on 4^th-and-three late in the third quarter.

The Vikings scored a touchdown four plays later to take the lead for good at 24-23.

Revel was in for 54 snaps (98%) on defense.

Jaydon Blue (RB)

Blue was once again inactive. The Cowboys first pick in the fifth round is becoming something of a disappointment.

He might get the call-up this Sunday depending on Hunter Luepke’s recovery from a concussion.

If he doesn’t, his days in Dallas might be numbered.

Shemar James (LB)

The other fifth round pick, Shemar James, was relegated to 22 snaps, all on special teams (69%). He still recorded two solo tackles.

Ajani Cornelius (OL)

A sixth-round selection, Ajani Cornelius, was not active for Sunday’s game.

Jay Toia (DT)

The first of the Cowboys three picks in the seventh round, Jay Toia, was not active for Sunday’s contest.

Trikweze Bridges (DB)

Trikweze Bridges saw eight snaps on special teams (25%) and did not record a single state. Bridges will face the team that drafted him in the seventh round back in April.

He was traded to Dallas just before the season began.