Every Surprise Standout From Dallas Cowboys' Preseason Week 1 Win

Safety Julius Wood was one of the Dallas Cowboys' surprise standouts from the preseason victory over the Seattle Seahawks on Saturday.

Dallas Cowboys safety Julius Wood. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

With the Dallas Cowboys sitting just about every single one of their starters in preseason Week 1 against the Seattle Seahawks, Dallas' under-the-radar players had their chance to shine.

While some failed to do so, there were definitely others who made the most of the opportunity en route to helping their 53-man roster and practice squad chances.

Among the Cowboys' standouts on Saturday night, here are five who were the biggest surprises.

WR Camden Brown

Dallas Cowboys receiver Camden Brown. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

We've seen Brown light it up at training camp, but we didn't know what to expect from the rookie in his preseason debut.

Well, what we saw was the same guy who has been a constant standout this summer. Brown reeled in two sick catches and finished with three in total for 63 yards and a score.

More importantly for Brown, he played better than the other guys vying for the WR5 spot, Jonathan Mingo, Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Anthony Smith.

We have to seriously start considering Brown as a legit candidate to beat out the other three for what could be the only spot up for grabs at wide receiver.

TE Michael Trigg

Dallas Cowboys tight end Michael Trigg. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Like Brown, we weren't sure how Trigg would respond in his first live-game action, and honestly we weren't expecting a ton after what has been a quiet first few weeks of camp.

However, the rookie delivered with four catches for 30 yards, stats that ranked first and second on the team, respectively, and he flashed strong hands with two of his grabs.

With Luke Schoonmaker seemingly vulnerable, Trigg made in-roads toward pulling off a 53-man roster upset at tight end.

QB Joe Milton

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Joe Milton III. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

After a shaky preseason in 2025, Milton looked like a much better player in his 2026 exhibition debut.

Milton completed 12-of-15 passes for 107 yards and a touchdown to no picks while adding seven carries for 10 yards. It was easily Milton's best preseason performance in a Cowboys uniform.

The addition of Sam Howell this offseason and his getting the nod to start on Saturday was all bad news for Milton, but he isn't going down without a fight and the QB2 competition is anything but settled.

LB Justin Barron

Dallas Cowboys linebacker Justin Barron. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Barron has an uphill climb to make the Cowboys' 53-man roster, but he no doubt helped his cause on Saturday.

Barron notched four tackles, one tackle for loss, and he was tied for the most stops among Cowboys defenders with three, according to Next Gen Stats (H/T Bobby Belt).

But it was more than just what he put on the stat sheet. Barron looked the part of an NFL linebacker and played with confidence and showed some feistiness with a WWE-style body slam tackle.

The kind of juice Barron brought is exactly what the Cowboys coming off their bench and on special teams.

S Julius Wood

Dallas Cowboys specialist Julius Wood. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Like Barron, Wood was tied for the team lead with three stops, and he finished second on the team in total tackles. One of the stops saw Wood cut through Seattle's offense like a hot knife through butter during one of Dallas' goal-line stands.

Wood is going to be hard-pressed to find his way onto the 53-man roster with the loaded situation the Cowboys have at safety, but he is putting himself in position to stick on the practice squad.