The Dallas Cowboys kicked off training camp in Oxnard, California on Wednesday morning with fewer positional battles to settle than some other NFL franchises. After an active offseason for Dallas' front office, most of the starting and rotational roles on the roster are clearly defined.

Nevertheless, this is the NFL after all. That means no job is safe and even a long-shot rookie can step out over the next few weeks and prove himself capable of contributing to an NFL roster. These are the top three training camp positional wars that could emerge before the start of the new season.

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Linebacker: DeMarvion Overshown vs. Jabril Cox

A quick look at Jabril Cox and DeMarvion Overshown reveals quite a few similarities already. Both players are lanky, high-motor defenders that made a name for themselves flying around the field and making plays in college. Both players were drafted in the middle rounds of their respective drafts, and both players have a chance to grab a significant chunk of playing time from the Cowboys' linebackers rotation in 2023.

The only constant for Dallas' linebacking corps in 2023 is going to be Leighton Vander Esch. The rest of the group comprised of young, unproven players. With only 10 games under his belt Damone Clark is still far from being an established NFL talent, but he has shown enough on the field to earn the benefit of the doubt ahead of this season. At the strong-side linebacker position, however, the Cowboys need to make a choice between a rookie and a completely unproven asset.

The early years of Cox's NFL career have been almost entirely washed away by injuries. After two NFL seasons, the LSU product has recorded a total of eight tackles in 16 games played. When he's healthy, the athleticism and motor that Dallas drafted him for is evident, but he hasn't gotten much of a chance to prove he can contribute on an NFL field.

Overshown mirrors a lot of Cox's athletic traits and should benefit greatly from the tutelage of one of the NFL's great minds, Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn. The battle for playing time between Overshown and Cox could be the most competitive one all camp for the Cowboys.

Defensive Tackle: Mazi Smith vs. Neville Gallimore

This positional battle is less about whether Mazi Smith can win the job and more about whether the Cowboys made the right decision when they drafted him in the first round of the 2023 draft. There is no question Dallas intends to start Mazi Smith when the season begins, but he still has to prove himself capable of hacking it against NFL competition.

Smith's rare athleticism is what enticed the Cowboys to use their first-round selection on him. The Cowboys need to see their new defensive tackle's elite strength and agility on display early in training camp, and they need to see it translating against NFL offensive linemen. As long as Smith looks like the player Dallas drafted him to be, he should be in line to start Week 1.

On the flip side of that coin, this is Neville Gallimore's last chance to prove he can contribute consistently as a starter on the defensive line. If there was ever a time for the veteran to come out and have the training camp of his career, this is it. If Gallimore can do that, and if Smith doesn't appear to be as effective right away as the Cowboys believe he could be, there could be a decision to make on Dallas' defensive line.

Kicker: Tristan Vizcaino vs. Brandon Aubrey

Another year means another trip around the kicker carousel for the Cowboys. Brett Maher was fantastic last season – right up until he wasn't – but has since moved on to compete for the starting job with the Denver Broncos. That leaves Tristan Vizcaino and former USFL standout Brandon Aubrey to compete for the job in Dallas.

The last time Dallas pulled a player out of the USFL, he went to the Pro Bowl. Aubrey was extremely consistent last year for the Birmingham Stallions, nailing 14 out of 15 field goal attempts and 100% of his PATs. Challenging Aubrey for the job is Vizcaino, a player with limited NFL experience that has also been consistent over his career.

It's tough to say who has the edge between two players with very limited professional experience. The job will go to the player who performs the best over the next few weeks, or the Cowboys will bring in somebody else.