Defense was the biggest emphasis for the Dallas Cowboys in the 2026 offseason, and for a reason. Matt Eberflus' defense gave up 511 yards, a franchise record that every fan wants to forget about.
Caleb Downs has been named one of the best rookies in the 2026 class, but if the Cowboys want the most out of their cornerbacks this season, they have to get the most out of their 2025 third-round pick, Shavon Revel. The 25-year-old out of East Carolina was described as a first-round talent, but a torn ACL forced him to fall in the draft.
Jon Machota of The Athletic (subscription required) says Revel is the breakout player for the Cowboys, and while he hasn't proved anything just yet, he's fully healed now.
"Revel is in position to compete for a starting cornerback spot. He has the ideal size (6-2, 200), strength and athleticism to be a quality outside corner. Cornerback is one of the biggest question marks on the roster."
Shavon Revel listed as the Cowboys' breakout player in 2026
Recently, Revel looks comfortable and has no concern about his ACL injury lingering. Recently, he highlighted his quickness and agility, showing he can be the East Carolina first-round talent that Jerry Jones had eyed from last year.
Fortunately, we've heard nothing but great things and positive messages from Revel all offseason. He's even on record saying he would one day become the best cornerback in the NFL. It's a lot to say, but you can see the talent is there. He's just got to display it on a regular-season field.
He should've sat out last year, as he looked out of sorts on the field. With Christian Parker now leading the defense and with a history of building players like Cooper DeJean and Quinyon Mitchell to All-Pro status, the sky is the limit for Revel to reach his own ceiling as the best CB in the league. The Eagles won the Super Bowl in 2024.
We're not saying the ingredients are already there for the Cowboys to do the same in 2026, but if Revel can live up to his words and break out this season, the Cowboys have a better shot of being in serious contention to win the Lombardi.
Of course, an ACL injury isn't something to play around with, and Revel should still be taking it easy, but he's showing more confidence than ever before, and this is a great time to build from the ground up with a new coach like Parker. Even if 'start over' means his second season, we will finally get to see a healthy Revel for a full season.
Machota added that in training camp, he will get plenty of reps going against George Pickens and CeeDee Lamb. That's a tough test for anybody, let alone a young CB who's trying to prove himself. But if he's able to hold his ground against the league's best, it won't take long for the NFL to know Revel's name.
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