OXNARD, Calif. -- Things can change between now and when the Dallas Cowboys open the regular season against the Cleveland Browns, but for the first time since 2011, two rookie offensive linemen could be in their starting lineup.
Back then, it was Tyron Smith, the No. 9 overall pick, at right tackle against the New York Jets, and Bill Nagy, a seventh-round pick, at left guard. Smith went on to have a Hall of Fame-type career with the Cowboys; Nagy started four games and never played in another regular-season game in his career.
This year against the Browns -- with All-Pro pass rusher Myles Garrett and defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz, known for exotic looks designed to confuse the offense -- it could be Tyler Guyton, the 29th overall pick, at left tackle, and Cooper Beebe, a third-round pick, at center.
"We're two guys that came in together, not knowing a single play and getting into this scenario and working our tails off to get to this point," Guyton said. "I feel like it's very rewarding and I think it's super cool."
The coaches might have some trepidation using rookies in such important positions. Guyton would be responsible for blocking some of the best pass rushers in the NFL. Beebe would be responsible for making the pre-snap calls.
Quarterback Dak Prescott, whom the rookies are protecting, was once in that position. In 2016, he took over for an injured Tony Romo in the preseason and did not give the job back. Staring back at him were Pro Bowl veterans, such as Jason Witten, Smith, Zack Martin, Travis Frederick and Dez Bryant.
Prescott offers advice often.
"Just always talking to those guys, being transparent. Trying to communicate, one, my trust in them, my belief in them. Two, that they have a job and the first part of them doing their job is believing in themselves," Prescott said, "and understanding that they're going to make mistakes, but what you need to do is wipe that off."
When Mike McCarthy was a first-year head coach with the Green Bay Packers in 2006, he had to start three rookie offensive linemen: Daryn Colledge (15 games), Jason Spitz (13) and Tony Moll (10).
The Packers went 8-8.
Guyton was likely destined to be an opening-week starter based on his draft status, but when Chuma Edoga suffered a dislocated left big toe in the first preseason game, his path was cleared.
Beebe is battling Brock Hoffman to replace Tyler Biadasz, the starting center the past three seasons before departing for the Washington Commanders in free agency. Hoffman started the first two preseason games, but after the first game, Beebe was given first-team snaps in practice.
"Every situation's different. Those jobs are earned and sometimes they happen because of injury too," McCarthy said. "I just think staying in tune with this specific situation, make sure the rookies and any of our players are prepared and ready to go ... We've all been through this before, so we feel like we have a good handle on what we need to do to get these guys ready."
Both players are being asked to learn different positions.
At Kansas State, Beebe played every position but center. Since the draft, he has worked on perfecting his snapping craft.
"It's become second nature," he said. "I just know unless they say something to me, it was a good snap. So I really don't try to worry about it anymore."
Guyton started at right tackle last season at Oklahoma, protecting the blind side of his left-handed quarterback. The move to the left side has gone well so far.
Guyton has approached the job as if he were a starter.
"In this league, you can't have that type of mindset, 'Yeah, I'm a 2,' because anything can happen on any given day or any given play," Guyton said. "You've got to be ready to step up and fill that role."
Guyton missed four padded practices because of a virus, and even upon returning, the Cowboys were mindful of not overworking him. Regardless, they have liked what they have seen.
"He's an amazing athlete," offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer said. "There's some things that we need to clean up with his hands, his punch and things like that. But there's another guy that's got this demeanor, and he's got an intensity about him on gameday that I don't think most people see ... He's out there with a mean streak and he played that way, finished strong, and he just needs to get a ton of reps."
In 2014, Zack Martin stepped into an offensive line that already included Smith and Frederick as well as solid veterans, Doug Free and Ronald Leary. Like Guyton and Beebe, he was making a position switch from left tackle to right guard.
He felt an obligation to be ready because of those around him.
"Definitely when you got thrown in there, like, you don't want to be the guy that's weighing the offense down," Martin said. "Yeah, took great pride in making sure I was on top of my stuff and tried to raise my level to the guys around me for sure."
Martin became the third rookie in franchise history to be named an All-Pro. He became the first rookie offensive lineman in team history to make the Pro Bowl.
Guyton and Beebe won't be asked to reach that standard immediately, but Martin said their approach so far has been important.
"They've been great," Martin said. "That's something we've tried to continue here is try to include everyone when they come in here. We've got a tight-knit room. And really the best offensive lines I've been around have been those rooms that are very tight -- not only on the field but off the field."