FRISCO, Texas – It’s probably just a coincidence, but Tyler Guyton, Cooper Beebe and Caelan Carson are standing next to each other in the Dallas Cowboys locker room.

The three newcomers will start in Sunday’s season opener against the Cleveland Browns (4:25 p.m. ET, Fox): Guyton as left tackle, Beebe as center and Carson as cornerback.

Linebacker Marist Liufau stands on the other side of the locker room, about 15 yards away. Depending on what package the Cowboys use against the Browns, he would be the fourth rookie starter.

In their history, the Cowboys have never had four rookies start in the first week, although they have had three in the starting lineup twice (2002, 2020).

Some coaches may be hesitant to start rookies from the start. Not so Mike McCarthy, who was in his first year in 2020 when CeeDee Lamb, Trevon Diggs and Terence Steele started the opening game.

“Yeah, we have young players,” McCarthy said. “It’s going to be their first NFL game, their first in a lot of ways. Their first NFL game, their first NFL away game. So all of that applies, and we’ve got to make sure we’re ready and have confidence that we’ll be.”

Last year’s draft featured a total of three players, all of them first-round defensive tackle Mazi Smith. This year’s draft could top that on Sunday.

When the Cowboys drafted Guyton in the first round, he was expected to start almost immediately since eight-time Pro Bowl left tackle Tyron Smith had left as a free agent. The path to center for Beebe, a third-round pick, was a little more unknown since he had never played the position before.

Liufau’s performance in the preseason games and the hip injury of DeMarvion Overshown (who was already recovering from a torn ACL in his left knee that cost him his rookie year) caused the third-round pick to climb up the rankings.

Carson, a fifth-round pick, was expected to play on special teams and sub packages until All-Pro cornerback DaRon Bland underwent surgery on his left foot to repair a stress fracture.

“If you make it bigger than it is, it’ll be a big moment for you,” Carson said. “But I’m not trying to make it a big moment. It’ll just be any other game. I’ve been playing football my whole life, so I feel like nothing changes. Just more people. TV. At the end of the day, you’ve been doing this since you were five years old.”

However, not against the competition that awaits the newcomers on Sunday.

Guyton will face Myles Garrett, who was named the 2023 NFL Defensive Player of the Year. Garrett is the only player in the NFL to record at least 14 sacks in each of the last three seasons.

Guyton’s work in practice against pass rusher Micah Parsons has helped, and he’s had more time to prepare for Garrett since it’s the first game.

Guyton insists he is not nervous.

“I was just never a nervous guy,” he said.

Why not?

“Preparation,” he said.

play

Profile of Cowboys guard Cooper Beebe

Check out some of the top college highlights on new Cowboys guard Cooper Beebe.

Beebe will be tasked with making the right decisions against a coordinator, Jim Schwartz, who likes to apply a lot of pressure. He started 48 of 51 games at Kansas State at guard and tackle. His only appearance at center was in the preseason against the Las Vegas Raiders.

It will help him to have Pro Bowl guards Zack Martin and Tyler Smith as well as quarterback Dak Prescott.

“The good thing is (Prescott) is my ultimate corrector,” Beebe said. “If he sees something differently than I do, he can always correct me. That’s one of the things that gives me confidence. I can go up there, make a point and I know I have a check and balance that will get us right.”

Liufau’s checks and balances are experienced middle linebacker Eric Kendricks and defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer.

“To me especially, Coach Zim always said, ‘Just let it go,'” Liufau said. “Let him think, and when we get to the game, just go out there and have fun.”

Carson had an impressive training camp and recently changed his jersey number from 41 to Deion Sanders’ iconic 21 as a tribute to the Cowboys legend.

“But all respect to him,” Carson said.

Whatever number he chose, the Browns would likely be interested in him since he is a rookie playing alongside Diggs, the Pro Bowler who is just coming back from a torn ACL in his left knee.

At times, Carson will have to face wide receiver Amari Cooper, who will be particularly motivated to play against the Cowboys after they traded him to the Browns for a fifth-round pick in 2022. But the rookie remains balanced.

“He’s a great receiver,” Carson said. “Nothing more. Nothing less.”