Dallas Cowboys DE Sam Williams goes through a drill during practice at the Ford Center at the Star Training Facility in Frisco, Texas. Chris Jones-Imagn Images

Ranking the 3 most underrated Cowboys players on the 2025 roster

Originally posted on Dallas Cowboys on SI
By Randy Gurzi | Last updated Jun 27, 2025 7:21 AM ET

The spotlight is always on the Dallas Cowboys, who are always the most visible team in the NFL.

Whether they're winning or losing, sports fans around the nation are typically discussing the Cowboys. Most of that focus is on star players such as Dak Prescott, who is recovering from a torn hamstring, and Micah Parsons, who is trying to secure a new contract.

If they're going to return to their winning ways, they'll need more players to step up. With that in mind, let's identify and rank the three most underrated role players the Cowboys have in 2025.

3. Jalen Tolbert, WR

Jalen Tolbert got a bad rap in 2024. He had a breakout season with 49 receptions for 610 yards and seven touchdowns. Despite those numbers being vastly superior to his 2023 season, Tolbert was criticized for not being a legitimate threat opposite CeeDee Lamb.

That wasn't his fault, but it was a failure on the front office. Thankfully, they rectified that by adding George Pickens, which moved Tolbert to the WR3 role. That suits him much better and should allow him to be a more efficient weapon this year.

2. Solomon Thomas, DT

Dallas didn't break the bank for any free agents this offseason, but they still landed some potential playmakers. One of those additions was Solomon Thomas, who is reunited with defensive line coach Aaron Whitecotton.

Thomas had 57 tackles and 8.5 sacks the past two seasons with the New York Jets, proving to be a strong interior pass rusher. He will work behind Osa Odighizuwa, giving Dallas a strong combination at the 3-tech position.

1. Sam Williams, EDGE

Dallas might have lost DeMarcus Lawrence and Chauncey Golston this offseason, but they're still crowded at defensive end. They brought back Dante Fowler Jr. and signed Payton Turner in free agency. They also selected Donovan Ezeiruaku in the 2025 NFL draft. All those additions make it easy to forget about Sam Williams, a fourth-year pro out of Ole Miss.

Williams had two strong seasons to start his career, recording 48 tackles and 8.5 sacks despite playing behind Parsons, Lawrence, Fowler, Golston, and even Dorance Armstrong. Ready for a larger role in 2024, Williams suffered a torn ACL in camp and missed the entire season.

He's been rehabbing this offseason and is expected to be back early. If he picks up where he left off, it's going to be hard to keep him off the field, even with all the talent around him.

This article first appeared on Dallas Cowboys on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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