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FRISCO, Texas -- There's only one game left in the 2025 preseason, which means a last call for players on the 53-man roster bubble to make an impression. Dallas Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer will accept last-minute standout efforts on Friday against the Atlanta Falcons 

"We're still in the information-gathering process," Schottenheimer said Monday. "We'll sit down after we play Friday and we'll make some decisions about the entire roster. There will probably be some surprises from some of the mock things that are out there in terms of, 'Hey, I thought for sure this guy was gonna make it.'"  

On Wednesday, Schottenheimer said the following about his 53-man roster vision: "We haven't made any decisions yet. We haven't named any starters." 

One player on the Cowboys' current roster who earned his spot in Dallas in a preseason finale is fullback Hunter Luepke. Luepke went undrafted out of North Dakota State in 2023, and he had just nine scrimmage yards on eight touches entering the final week of the 2023 preseason. He used the team's preseason finale vs. the Las Vegas Raiders, a 31-16 victory, as his personal highlight reel: Luepke racked up 118 yards from scrimmage (58 yards rushing and 60 yards receiving on 20 touches (15 carries and five receptions) and a touchdown (a 15-yard catch-and-run). 

"We have an idea going into the preseason finale guys who we're excited to see. It's not, 'OK, this guy can do it.' Some guys, they do jump off the film, and ... if you play the way Hunter did in that last preseason game, you're like, 'yeah, he's earned the right,"' Schottenheimer said Wednesday. "Again, the bottom line is you want to earn the right. Like none of these spots are going to be given. We're not giving a spot to a player because of this or that. They have to be earned, and I believe that's the way it should be." 

Well, here's the latest Cowboys 53-man roster projection, or "mock thing" as Schottenheimer calls it, from yours truly over here at CBS Sports. The roster accounting below will not include the following players whose current injured status will likely prevent them from beginning the year on the active roster: Wide receiver Jonathan Mingo (knee), guard Robert Jones (neck), linebacker DeMarvion Overshown (knee), cornerback Trevon Diggs (knee), cornerback Shavon Revel Jr. (knee), cornerback Caelen Carson (knee) and cornerback Josh Butler (knee). 

Quarterback (3)

Analysis: This is pretty cut and dry. Dallas traded a 2025 fifth-round pick to the New England Patriots in exchange for Milton and a 2025 seventh-round pick. Schottenheimer has gone out of his way to give Milton nearly every snap throughout the preseason to aid in his development. Grier is very familiar in the system from his multiple stints in Dallas, and three-time Pro Bowl quarterback Prescott, the highest-paid quarterback in the NFL on an average per year basis ($60 million), highly values his friendship with Grier. 

Running back (4)

Analysis: The running back position is one of the more difficult positions to project on Dallas' roster because of how split carries have been throughout the preseason: seventh-round rookie Mafah (13 carries), veteran Davis (8 carries), veteran Sanders (7 carries) and veteran Vaughn (7 carries) have all had their chances. Explosive fifth-round rookie running back Blue will likely have a chance to make a preseason impression Friday night after dealing with a bruised ankle/foot injury he suffered at training camp in Oxnard, California. 

Cowboys vice president of player personnel Will McClay referred to Blue as "an explosive playmaker" on draft day, and he used the adjective "explosive" five times when talking about him. Blue will make the roster. Veteran free agent signee Williams is also a lock, and he'll likely begin the year as the starter at the position. Schottenheimer has held him out of the preseason entirely, and he's repeatedly praised Williams all offseason. Another key point about Williams is he's run out with the first-team offense to start every practice in organized team activities, mandatory minicamp and training camp. 

Sanders likely ran himself out of a roster spot in Dallas' second preseason game against the Baltimore Ravens after strong showings in OTAs and mandatory minicamp. He ran for 15 yards on seven carries with a yards-per-carry average of 2.1, and he also hurt the Cowboys' offensive efforts in critical situations.

Wide receiver (6)

Analysis: Lamb is an All-Pro, and Pickens has been head and shoulders above every other non-Lamb wide receiver. That's why Lamb leans on his feedback for advice. Turpin was the NFL's 2024 first-team All-Pro kick returner, and Schottenheimer has used him much more in the passing game and out of the backfield as a runner than former coach Mike McCarthy ever did. Tolbert led the depleted 2024 Cowboys in receiving touchdowns (seven), which will outweigh his meh offseason performance. Brooks has been a go-to downfield weapon with the second-team offense this offseason, and Flournoy is someone Schottenheimer has looked to feature in the preseason passing game. 

Cropper had an ugly drop on a deep ball from Milton in the preseason game against the Ravens, and the play time the two undrafted rookies -- Holden and Kelly -- have received in the preseason is indicative of a lower standing on the depth chart. 

Tight end (3) 

Analysis: Schottenheimer said there would be some surprises in his first 53-man roster as the Cowboys coach, and here's one of them: 2023 second-round pick Schoonmaker gets cut. He's underwhelmed throughout the offseason, and he suffered a concussion in Tuesday's practice. There's a good chance he won't be rushed back for a preseason game. Ferguson, who just re-signed on a new deal in training camp, isn't going anywhere. Spann-Ford has shown much more after-the-catch ability than Schoonmaker, and Schottenheimer seems to enjoy giving a friendly helmet tap to Fant at the start of almost every practice open to the media. Schoonmaker gets shown the door. 

Offensive line (9)

Analysis: There aren't any surprises here. Dallas has been cross-training Bass at center for position versatility, and Adeniji likely gets the last spot over Richards because of the need for tackle depth over guard depth with Guyton dealing with a knee injury. 

Defensive line (10)

Analysis: The defensive line position has the most players of any spot on the roster given the uncertainty around Parsons' contract status, and the lack of productivity at the defensive tackle spot next to Odighizuwa. Smith, Dallas' 2023 first-round pick, knows he's nearing the label of bust, but the Cowboys have only moved on from a first-round pick before the end of their rookie deal once in recent memory: 2017 first-round pick edge rusher Taco Charlton in 2020. Houston appears to have more upside than Turner, and Winfrey has been the most consistent contributor among the younger defensive tackles. 

Linebacker (5)

Analysis: This is also one of the easiest positions to figure out. Sanborn has played his entire career with new Cowboys defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus when the two were with the Chicago Bears from 2022 to 2024. Murray has been a starter on the first-team defense all offseason. Coaches have been effusive in praise of the efforts of both Liufau and Clark making strides this offseason. Rookie fifth-round pick James has also been a playmaker in the passing game in practice as he's somewhat regularly come away with interceptions. 

Cornerback (5) 

Analysis: Cornerback back has been the most injury-riddled position for the Cowboys this offseason with Diggs, Revel, Carson and Butler all on the shelf with knee injuries. Dallas allowing mainstay Jourdan Lewis to depart for the Jacksonville Jaguars in free agency this offseason has opened a gaping hole at the nickel cornerback position. Hall and undrafted rookie Childress have fought hard at that starting spot all offseason with each receiving some snaps with the first-team defense in practice. 

Bland obviously has a spot, and Elam has had one of the best offseasons of any Cowboy this year after being acquired in a trade from the Buffalo Bills. Booth's pick six of former teammate and Ravens backup quarterback Cooper Rush last week may have helped seal his roster spot. 

Safety (5)

Analysis: Hooker and Wilson have the starting safety spots locked down following strong offseason performances while the Cowboys have appreciated the development of depth pieces like Thomas, Bell and Mukuamu this offseason. Thomas has even filled in some snaps at nickel this offseason as has Mukuamu. This was also an easy position to project. 

Specialists (3)

Analysis: Aubrey, Anger and Sieg are obvious, but Goodwin, Dallas' second longest-tenured player (seven seasons from 2018-2024), gets cut from the initial, active 53-man roster. The Cowboys have too many glaring depth needs at running back, defensive tackle, cornerback and offensive line in 2025 to get away with initially rostering a 35-year-old special teams only player. There's a good chance Goodwin will return to the Cowboys after some early roster churn.