FRISCO -- The Cowboys looked good nearly across the board in their season opener vs. the Giants.

But with Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott starring on offense, D-linemen Maliek Collins and Charles Tapper pressuring Eli Manning, and cornerback Anthony Brown securing the Cowboys' first interception of the year, another group deserves its own recognition: the Cowboys' 2016 draft class.

Oh, and that's before even factoring in linebacker Jaylon Smith's NFL debut 20 months after a gruesome knee injury in his college bowl game.

It's a dominant class, to say the least.

"With everything that happened to me, the spotlight was on," Smith said Sunday after the game. "Last year, watching the team and watching what Dak and Zeke done and do as rookies - I wish I could've been out there as the third rookie to really dominate. But it was humbling and now, I get a chance to contribute on the highest level."

Jaylon Smith on this play: "Did they count it as a forced fumble? ... Well, I'm counting it as a forced fumble." pic.twitter.com/F0YffKQjmb — Jon Machota (@jonmachota) September 11, 2017

Smith did that, tallying nine tackles and forcing a fumble. Coaches had expected him to be more limited and work his way back slowly to full speed. Smith felt so good he ended up playing 36 of the 53 defensive snaps.

Elliott and Prescott said watching their draft classmates motivates them.

"Just a guy that deserves it, a guy that grinded all last season to get back to where he is now," Elliott said of Smith. "Seeing him be able to be out there and have that success is really inspirational."

Add in Collins' quarterback pressure and tackle, Tapper recording a sack in his debut, two tackles from safety Kavon Frazier, and Brown deflecting one pass plus picking off another from Manning? The Cowboys' 2016 class hasn't just revolutionized the team's offense.

"Our class, Anthony Brown going out and doing what he's doing last year and then all training camp, getting an interception and playing well, it's good to see," Prescott said. "Obviously we all wish we could've been out there last year, but Jaylon, he'll make up for that time."

Offensively, fourth-round pick Prescott completed 24 of 39 passes for 268 yards and a touchdown, while running for another 24 yards. First-round pick Elliott rushed for 104 yards on 24 carries, catching another five balls for 36 yards. Tight end Rico Gathers remains on injured reserve in concussion protocol but flashed potential in two preseason games with 106 yards and two touchdowns.

All of these players have at most a year and a game of NFL experience under their belt, with players like Smith (knee) and Tapper (back) debuting Sunday after season-long recoveries.

But they're off to a good start.

Smith shouted while nearly skipping to the locker room Sunday night: "The real is back! They say the real is back."

Cowboys LB Jaylon Smith running into locker room singing "They say the real is back!" pic.twitter.com/19Y88MErPF — Jori Epstein (@JoriEpstein) September 11, 2017

The 2016 draft class sure looks real.

Twitter: @JoriEpstein

The Cowboys' 2016 draft class