In June, the Cowboys’ receiver room looked set in stone. CeeDee Lamb at the top. George Pickens is right behind him. Jalen Tolbert is favored for WR3. Behind them? A traffic jam – KaVontae Turpin, Jonathan Mingo, Ryan Flournoy – all fighting for snaps. Everyone knew their place. But training camp has a habit of turning ‘safe’ jobs into open auditions. And right now, someone who wasn’t even drafted is forcing his way into the conversation.

Undrafted rookie Traeshon Holden said in camp he was “coming for heads.” On Aug. 9 against the Rams, he backed it up. Dallas lost 31-21, but Holden turned the fourth quarter into his own showcase. After three quarters on the sideline, Joe Milton hit him for a quick seven-yard grab. A couple of plays later, Holden burned the secondary for 35 yards. Clean routes. Strong hands. It looked exactly like what he’d been doing in Oxnard all week. And just like that, Holden’s stock jumped. Because if this keeps up, Lamb and George Pickens won’t be the only receivers teammates are talking about in Dallas.

Holden finished with 42 yards on two catches, both coming in the final quarter. His 35-yard reception put Dallas in the red zone and set up Joe Milton’s touchdown pass to Rivaldo Fairweather. Coaches have noted his route precision and ability to secure contested catches – traits that have helped him close the gap on players ahead of him on the depth chart.

So it was no one-off either. In Oxnard, Holden had already been making noise. During July 30 camp session, he hauled in one of the best catches of the summer – a one-handed touchdown grab that had the sideline on its feet. A few snaps later, he found the end zone again, this time on a pass from Milton.

That’s been his rhythm since OTAs – not just making the routine plays, but turning heads with highlight-reel grabs. But it’s not like he’s pushing past nobodies – Jalen Tolbert, Jalen Brooks, Ryan Flournoy, and Jonathan Mingo are all in his way. But Holden’s stock is climbing fast. On Aug. 9, when his number was finally called, he looked like someone determined to speed up the waiting process. And so did the HC.

Schottenheimer’s praise signals a WR shake-up

Cowboys HC Brian Schottenheimer didn’t dodge the question. He’s seen enough to shuffle the deck. “Every day he shows up, I mean he really does,” Schottenheimer said. “Every day he makes a play. … And when you do that, you get noticed, and when you do that, you get more opportunities, and just proud of him. … You’ll see him moving up the depth chart.” Holden’s climb is built on more than one preseason cameo. 

At Oregon, he posted 1,170 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns in two seasons after transferring from Alabama. He also brought a physical, 6-foot-3 frame and strong blocking habits that NFL teams value in a depth receiver. His college path included work under Dan Lanning at Oregon and Nick Saban at Alabama, and he enters Dallas reunited with former Ducks receivers coach Junior Adams and ex-teammate Ajani Cornelius.

Now it’s about stacking more game reps. The Ravens are next, and if Holden sees the field earlier, we’ll get a better look at whether he’s just a camp riser or a legitimate depth chart disruptor. The Cowboys already have their stars in Lamb and Pickens. But depth wins seasons. And Holden’s trying to turn himself from a camp story into one of 2025’s most underrated rookie finds.