The Cowboys are expected to be relying heavily on rookie Caleb Downs this season.

With Downs coming in as the 11th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft after being a projected top-5 pick, expectations are sky high.

Dallas will be hoping the rookie lives up to his potential and emerges as one of the best at his position in the league, but Year 1 of his tenure might be too early to expect an All-Pro level performance.

Nevertheless, the team doesn’t seem to be holding him back from lofty goals for his rookie year.

“I don’t think we can put anything on Caleb Downs that is above what he expects for himself,” Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer said. “He’s young, so he'll make mistakes, but I said it in the spring, and I’ll say it again, Caleb doesn’t repeat mistakes… his expectations are probably a lot higher than what any of us have for him.”

Downs emphasized that point, telling reporters that his expectations are for him to know and everyone else to find out.

He also added he feels the defense as a whole can be one of the best units in the league.

“To be dominant,” Downs said of the expectations on defense for Dallas. “That’s what I’ve thought of every defense I’ve been on. We have the talent to do it. To dominate every offense that we go against. To go out in the game and know that we’re prepared to make the plays that we need to make to win.”

With top-end talent like Downs, Quinnen Williams, Kenny Clark, and Daron Bland leading the way, Dallas will hope the team has enough to come anywhere close to what Downs thinks they can do. If they can, along with having another stellar year offensively, the Super Bowl expectations might be realistic after all.