Cowboys HC Mike McCarthy names four young players that stood out in practice vs Rams

Joint practices are very important to coaching staffs around the league and that's no different for the Dallas Cowboys, whose head coach Mike McCarthy came away happy with his team's performance against the Los Angeles Rams ahead of the preseason opener to be played on Sunday .

On Friday, McCarthy talked to reporters and inevitably fielded questions about who had stood out to him among younger players on Thursday and although he didn't elaborate a whole lot on specifics, he did mention four players by name that caught his eye.

"(RB) Malik Davis had a really good day, really like some of the things that he did," McCarthy revealed . "(Rookie wide receiver Ryan) Flournoy did some really good stuff, (TE) John Stephens had a nice play or two, Cooper Beebe did some good things."

The short list McCarthy offered off the top of his head is actually a pretty interesting one for many reasons. Here are some thoughts on where each player currently stands going into the preseason.

RB Malik Davis

Davis was left off of my latest 53-man roster projection but the Cowboys clearly like him as this will be his third year with the team. Davis, however, appears to be relatively buried on the depth chart. But with Royce Freeman and Deuce Vaughn both missing time with injuries, Davis must seize the opportunity to impress his coaches.

Davis has some special teams ability as well, so there's a legit path for him to survive roster cuts at the end of the month. It'll be an uphill battle for the former undrafted, though.

WR Ryan Flournoy

The Cowboys' sixth-round rookie is playing catch-up after missing the start of training camp with an injury while players like Tyron Billy-Johnson and Jalen Cropper turned heads in practice. Based on McCarthy's comments, he's off to a good start though.

Flournoy's size, speed, and highpoint ability will likely complement his draft rookie status to make him the favorite for that WR6 spot on the 53. But make no mistake about it: He's gotta earn it.

iOL Cooper Beebe

The Cowboys' third-round rookie is clearly losing the battle for the starting center gig to Brock Hoffman as he continues to learn the nuances of the position, which he didn't play at college. But on Thursday, when tasked with some left guard reps, he showed how comfortable he is at a position he knows.

Ultimately, the Cowboys will likely be patient with Beebe. But his power and strength can only stay in the sidelines for so long.

TE John Stephens

The 6-foot-5 tight end is picking up right where he left off before a season-ending injury suffered in August of last year. In team drills, Stephens found the end zone multiple times, including in a read option RPO concept ran by QB Trey Lance.

Stephens' size could make him a versatile weapon who can line up all over the field for the Cowboys. He'd likely be on the 53-man roster if the cuts happened today.

Related: Cowboys have a Plan B for worrying position group and it involves a former division rival