The opened up their three-day rookie minicamp on Thursday at The Star in Frisco, bringing in a mix of drafted and undrafted newcomers, with first-round picks Caleb Downs and Malachi Lawrence leading the group. It was the perfect, “Welcome to the NFL” moment, until it wasn’t. As several rookies were suddenly bent over on the sidelines, heads down and hands on their knees, getting an early taste of just how unforgiving the league’s conditioning can be.

Turns out that few rookies were dealing with nausea during workouts. Head coach Brian Schottenheimer addressed the situation during a May 2 press conference, acknowledging that several players had fallen ill during recent sessions.

“None of these guys are in great shape right now.” Head coach Brian Schottenheimer speaks with the media: “You might have seen a few guys getting sick yesterday, a little bit of vomiting going on.” Is this alarming, though?

Well, this is not unusual because players arrive in what is often called a “combine shape.” They are prepped for the short bursts and testing metrics but not the sustained high-tempo demands of NFL practices. Rookie minicamp in that way is the players’ first real test.

However, Schottenheimer is not discouraged by the shape his players are in physically. Instead, he is encouraged by what he sees mentally. He talked about how the group’s approach, intelligence, and maturity stood out in a positive way, particularly for a rookie class.

At the center of the class is safety Caleb Downs, the No. 11 overall pick, whose presence has already drawn attention inside the building. There is also Lawrence leading the way, and apart from the first-round picks, Jaishawn Barham, Drew Shelton, and Devin Moore add depth across the team. The Cowboys also brought in several undrafted free agents to compete at the rookie minicamp, including running back Dominic Richardson, wide receivers Camden Brown and Jordan Hudson, tight ends Michael Trigg and DJ Rogers, and offensive lineman Sidney Fugar.

For now Schttenheimer has already begun laying the groundwork for how he wants the group to transition to the league. His approach is built on what he calls the “Three C’s.” This means comfort, cowboy identity, and connection. This is less a scheme and more about helping the players adjust to the environment, understand the expectations, and build relationships that carry into the season.

“I talked about it to them, the three C’s,” he explained. And that last point, on connection, is great because for a rookie class that’s trying to find its footing, shared experience often becomes the foundation for the chemistry needed.

The Cowboys brought in a total of 18 players for their 2026 rookie class. Seven have already been selected in the NFL and are likely to find their way onto a 53-man roster sooner rather than later. The remaining 11, however, still have plenty to prove. Last year, the Cowboys signed nine UDFAs to their initial rookie class, of whom only one made the initial roster. After the training camp ended, DE Justin Houston, rookie UDFA CB Zion Childress, and DT Perrion Winfrey were the three who successfully earned spots on the team’s initial 53-man roster.

However, there have been some early challenges too. Head coach Brian Schottenheimer said tight ends Michael Trigg and DJ Rogers are not in top shape yet, so the team has to manage their workload carefully.

Still, the rookies are making the most of it all.

“It’s just been really cool,” fourth-round pick and offensive lineman Drew Shelton said. “This is a place that has so much history. To meet all the new teammates and everything like that, it’s just been very fun.”

Some players have also seen familiar faces.

“Just walking through the halls, I was blessed enough to see Shemar James, a former Gator,” cornerback Devin Moore said. “We came in the same recruiting class together. Just seeing him here, knowing that there are guys of that caliber and character around the building, it’s a blessing to be here.”

After the minicamp ends on Saturday, the team will meet again for OTAs on June 1, followed by mandatory minicamp from June 16 to 18. As things move forward, Schottenheimer also shared

Brian Schottenheimer impressed by Caleb Downs at rookie camp

The Dallas Cowboys selected Caleb Downs with the No. 11 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, making him the first safety taken in this class. Dallas made the move in a deal with the Miami Dolphins, giving up two 2026 fifth-round picks. He spent a good part of Friday’s practice working with Christian Parker, and head coach Brian Schottenheimer seems quite impressed with what he has seen so far.

“The person, elite. The intelligence elite,” Schottenheimer said. “It’s cool for me on the field to watch the ability for him to be going in any direction and how quickly he can get into balance. Why that matters is it matters with the ability to tackle in open field space, make plays on the ball in coverage, and time up blitzes.”

“He’s just got incredible lower-body athleticism that when you watch him, he always gets into that same position where he’s ready to strike with the same foot and same shoulder, whether it’s left foot forward or right foot forward. The way he moves in the individual periods, which is really what mostly this camp is going to be, it’s very impressive how he can do that.”

Downs had a great college career at Ohio State Buckeyes and was a two-time All-American. In 2025, he was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and also won the Jim Thorpe Award and the Lott Trophy. Last season, he had 68 tackles, five tackles for loss, two pass breakups, two forced fumbles, and two interceptions in 14 games.

He can play multiple positions like nickel corner, free safety, strong safety, and even linebacker. He reads the game very fast and reacts quickly on the field. There is no doubt Caleb Downs brings a lot to the Dallas defense, which finished near the bottom last season.