Cobie Durant, Shavon Revel among standouts during Cowboys' first padded practice

OXNARD, Calif. — When the Cowboys began their training camp in Oxnard last week, the offense—returning all of its starters—continued its momentum from last season’s explosive campaign, looking like the much better side of the ball.

That changed when the pads came on Monday.

Christian Parker's defense was flying around and making plays at all three levels. The new-look unit turned in its best performance of training camp during practice No. 4, recording a takeaway, limiting the running game and breaking up several passes.

There are still plenty of questions surrounding the defensive side of the ball, particularly at linebacker and cornerback—several players from those positions made their presence felt.

Before practice, head coach Brian Schottenheimer was asked about the linebacker play early in camp and said he has been pleased with what he has seen.

Leading the room is DeMarvion Overshown, who is entering the final year of his contract. Overshown has flashed throughout his career, but injuries have limited his time on the field. Schottenheimer praised Overshown for doing an "awesome job" wearing the green dot. The team is still experimenting with who will ultimately take on those responsibilities.

Overshown delivered the biggest hit of the day on a toss play, shooting into the backfield and running through fullback Hunter Luepke, who was serving as the lead blocker.

Schottenheimer highlighted new LB Dee Winters' speed and athleticism. He said rookie third-round pick Jaishawn Barham has been "really good." Second-year linebacker Shemar James, who led the team with 91 tackles last season, has also impressed the coaching staff.

Barham rotated in with the first-team defense Monday and has lined up on the edge at times. During Parker's time with the Philadelphia Eagles, the defense deployed Zack Baun in a similar role. Barham broke up a pass in the red zone Saturday and has been one of the early standouts of camp.

Moving to the secondary, Parker's area of expertise, the 34-year-old defensive coordinator has helped develop several talented defensive backs, including Patrick Surtain II, Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean.

Former Los Angeles Rams cornerback Cobie Durant was one of the stars of the day. Early in team drills, he broke up a pass intended for CeeDee Lamb. A few moments later, he jumped a route to intercept Dak Prescott in the red zone. Through four practices, Durant has been the Cowboys' most consistent cornerback.

Shavon Revel Jr. has been tested more than perhaps any other defensive back in camp. Monday was his best practice yet, as he spent much of the day covering two of the NFL's top receivers.

“They make me better,” Revel said about going up against George Pickens and CeeDee Lamb. “They’re sharpening my tools each and every day.”

During red-zone work, Prescott threw a fade toward Pickens, but Revel stayed in position and prevented the completion. Revel was later flagged for defensive pass interference against Pickens, though the call was close. Prescott's throw was behind the receiver, forcing Pickens to stop as the two players collided.

Revel also forced Lamb to bobble a pass along the sideline, resulting in an incompletion. Later, he broke up a pass intended for Ryan Flournoy on a quick slant in man coverage, capping an impressive afternoon.

Today was another encouraging sign for Revel, who endured a difficult rookie season and did not make his NFL debut until November. The 2025 third-round pick was recovering from the ACL injury he suffered at East Carolina. Before the injury, he was widely viewed as a first-round talent.

"I'm taking it day-by-day,” Revel said about regaining his confidence. “Getting better at my skills and the errors that I need to fix. I come in, watch film, and fix what I need to fix."

Cowboys rookie CB Devin Moore was tested in the end zone when guarding Lamb. The lengthy athlete had perfect coverage and immediately began chirping at the All-Pro receiver.

Backup QB Joe Milton threw a touchdown pass to Traeshon Holden during red-zone work. Holden is vying for one of the WR4 / WR5 spots. Flournoy had an impressive touchdown snag against DaRon Bland, showcasing his strong hands.

Flournoy said that he’s focused on staying consistent and wants to continue working on his route running. He gained the quarterback's trust last year, posting 475 yards and four touchdowns.

When asked about the difference between this training camp compared to last year, Flournoy said, “My confidence is up. I know what to expect; I know what to do. Definitely just having fun, just going out there and playing comfortable.”

Dak has continued to look sharp. He threw a touchdown pass to second-year RB Phil Mafah. Prescott also connected with TE Jake Ferguson up the seam for a touchdown. Ferguson did not practice on Saturday due to a personal reason.

The interior tandem of Quinnen Williams and Kenny Clark made running between the tackles difficult throughout the afternoon. Rookie safety Caleb Downs also flashed against the run, shedding Flournoy's block attempt and making a tackle at the line of scrimmage.

The offense struggled during the two-minute drill at the end of practice.

Through the first week of camp, the spotlight largely belonged to Prescott and the offense. On Monday, as the pads finally came on in Oxnard, Parker's defense made sure everyone noticed the other side of the ball.

Dallas will return to the practice field tomorrow, Aug. 4. They have a few more practices before facing the Rams in a scrimmage next week.