Rob Ryan on Claiborne being a Day 1 starter: “That’s why you traded up to get him.”

The Cowboys didn’t wasted any time putting top draft pick Morris Claiborne in the starting lineup.

The rookie from LSU opened training camp Monday with the first team defense opposite Brandon Carr.

Defensive coordinator Rob Ryan said the Cowboys didn’t trade up from the 14^th spot to the sixth spot in the first round to have Claiborne on the bench.

 “He is here. He is ready to go,” Ryan said. “We drafted this young man to make a difference for us. We are going to give him the opportunity to do that. That’s why you trade up in the draft to get a young man like this.”

The move was somewhat surprising considering that Claiborne missed the entire offseason program and minicamp because of wrist surgery. He practiced for the first time last week during the brief rookie training camp.

The Cowboys acknowledge that Claiborne is behind but if he is going to make a big impact as a rookie as they expect then they need to get him as much quality to work as possible.

He will get that working with the first team defense and working against starting receivers Dez Bryant and Miles Austin.