A new feature on DallasCowboys.com this training camp is to hand out some Cowboys-themed "gold stars" after each padded practice here in Oxnard. Tuesday's practice was a win for the defense, evident by the majority of picks wearing the blue jerseys
Mickey Spagnola: I see you No. 24. That's right, Chidobe Awuzie is my star for the day. He seemed to be all over the field in coverage, always around the ball. Breaking up passes with his hands and his hits. Just what the Cowboys need in the defensive backfield from their 2017 second-round pick. On one play, he ran right with Tavon Austin on a deep ball, leaving little room for Dak to fit the ball in, and another did the same, along with Xavier Woods, on a deep incompletion to Deonte Thompson. You go.
Nick Eatman: I'm not going to lie, when I read the story David Helman wrote on Charles Tapper and what he's dealing with off the field, I'm definitely pulling for him to make it. Still, Tuesday's practice was a good one for him as he won several 1-on-1 battles in the pass-rush drills, including one in Compete Period against Chaz Green.
Bryan Broaddus: I really like what I observed from Chidobe Awuzie. He was physical tough and his burst was outstanding. There were several snaps where the offense tried to test him with double moves and his positioning on the route was so good there was no window for the ball to be completed. I feel like he has had some good days but this one was his most consistent from start to finish.
Rob Phillips: Rookie defensive end Dorance Armstrong has a pretty unassuming personality, and quietly he's showing up as a pass rusher in these practices. The fourth-round draft pick showed a blend of power and explosiveness off the edge against Cameron Fleming in one-on-one drills. He also had a would-be sack on third-string quarterback Mike White to end practice. The Cowboys have worked Armstrong at right and left defensive end with the backups and he's off to a good start in Oxnard, along with fellow end Charles Tapper.
David Helman: Today, it was Chido's chance to shine. The defense thoroughly dominated this practice on a day when the offense looked lackluster, and Chido was a big part of that. He locked down Allen Hurns during the Compete Period, and he carried that over into the full-team portions of practice. Awuzie didn't seem to lose a single matchup, and it reflected in Dak Prescott not having anywhere to go with the ball. I thought he looked fantastic.
| Player Name | Camp Star Total |
|---|---|
| Chidobe Awuzie | 3 |
| Tyron Smith | 2 |
| Byron Jones | 2 |
| Allen Hurns | 1 |
| Cole Beasley | 1 |
| Charles Tapper | 1 |
| Connor Williams | 1 |
| Michael Gallup | 1 |
| Dorance Armstrong | 1 |
| Mekale McKay | 1 |
| Donovan Olumba | 1 |
