2 Dallas Cowboys cornerbacks stand-out, 2 falter against Rams

If there is one takeaway from Week 1 of the preseason in Dallas, it might be the clarity we received on the widely debated Cowboys cornerbacks.

We’ve known that the secondary is simply not up to par, and when you’ve got a date with A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith to start the regular season, that is a code red type of problem.

As has been reported, the Cowboys expect DaRon Bland, Kaiir Elam, and either Israel Mukuamu or Kemon Hall to start against Philadelphia on September 4th.

As far as where the #Cowboys could be going at cornerback for Week 1:

“As the team hits the halfway point of training camp in Oxnard, the starting cornerbacks are expected to be DaRon Bland, Kaiir Elam and either Israel Mukuamu or Kemon Hall when the Cowboys line up against the… https://t.co/BzqlGkaTAe pic.twitter.com/CumsJScRoa

— Brandon Loree (@Brandoniswrite) July 31, 2025

Essentially, with Trevon Diggs and rookie Shavon Revel out, the team is going to rely heavily on its corner depth to fill out the rest of the starting unit. That is why Week 1 of the preseason was so crucial for this position group.

Let’s talk about the two guys who boosted their stock, and the two who failed to come through in what could become a defining game for the 2025 secondary.

Israel Mukuamu & Troy Pride Jr: Positive Showing Is A Good Sign

If you want to talk about depth chart risers, I think Israel Mukuamu and Troy Pride take the cake.

Mukuamu, the 25-year-old Cowboys veteran who started the night behind Hall at the nickelback spot, shined brighter than anyone else on the roster. It was quite the performance for a guy who has been grinding for playing time since 2021.

The Charlotte, NC native had a spectacular interception that will dominate the narratives, but his coverage work stood out as well. He was, by far, PFF’s highest graded defensive Cowboy last night.

The five highest graded Cowboys on defense last night, via PFF:
– CB Israel Mukuamu (90.3)
– NCB Zion Childress (77)
– LB Marist Liufau (73.7)
– DE Donovan Ezeiruaku (71.5)
– CB Troy Pride Jr. (69.1)

— Joseph Hoyt (@JoeJHoyt) August 10, 2025

The other corner to crack that list was Pride, a former fourth-round pick who has bounced around the league since he arrived in 2020.

Dallas brought him in last year and started the night behind the injured Diggs, Elam, and Andrew Booth for the right cornerback spot. If he doesn’t move up at least one spot, I would be shocked. He earned a promotion.

Both of these guys have had very strong training camps, and they backed it up with great performances to kick off the preseason.

If they keep it up, you’ll see a lot of them in the regular season.

Andrew Booth & Kemon Hall: Outshined Last Night, Overtaken On Depth Chart?

Now, on the flip side, we have Booth and Hall. It was simply not their night.

Especially in the case of Booth, the former Clemson standout and second-round pick, his struggles were evident from the get-go. He got beat on a deep ball on the very first drive, and didn’t make up for it down the stretch.

Between his camp struggles and in-game showings, both this year and last, it may be time to end the Booth experiment in Dallas.

Hall was beaten on the second drive and, unlike Mukuamu and Pride, failed to make his mark consistently throughout the game. He wasn’t nearly at Booth’s level, but there is no world where he had a better night than “Izzy.”

Rams go down the field on their second drive with another rushing touchdown. Not gong to get too carried away but some of the guys Cowboys are counting on to play roles were beaten – Kemon Hall, Payton Turner, Markquese Bell – on that drive. Rams, 14-0

— Todd Archer (@toddarcher) August 9, 2025

In a battle that close, where it’s mano-a-mano, performances like that matter.

Here’s the quick takeaway: Andrew Booth and Troy Pride are both fighting just to stick on the roster; one impressed, the other fell flat. As for Kemon Hall and Israel Mukuamu, they’re locked in a battle for the same job, and Mukuamu left no doubt who had the better night.

Fans may still call for a Stephon Gilmore signing while hoping for Diggs and Revel’s return, but the reality is they have depth pieces showing promise; they just need to cut ties with those who aren’t.

The Cowboys cornerback room has the potential to shine, especially when healthy, but only if the right players are on the field.