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The 2026 NFL draft has come to an end, and the Dallas Cowboys eased most fans’ fears with what most believe is an impressive haul. It began with an amazing duo in the first round, and the team continued their heater with a great final two days.
Conventional wisdom says one must wait three years to evaluate a draft, but the initial grades for the Cowboys in this draft are high. Instead of drafting the class, this exercise assign a grade to each of the individual seven picks. Here’s how the Cowboys made out in the 2026 draft.
If he wasn’t the consensus top player on most teams’ draft boards, he was surely near the top. Only positional value stopped Downs from being selected higher, which became the Cowboys’ gain.
Getting one of the best prospects in the draft outside the top 10 is a home run and the team got what they desperately needed, a nickelback to help an ailing pass defense. New defensive coordinator Christian Parker gets his chess piece in Downs.
There was no better pick the for the Cowboys in this draft than Downs.
The Cowboys needed another pass rusher to help a group that struggled to get to the quarterback last season and Lawrence was a fast riser in the draft process. Lawrence’s athleticism, speed and power saw him turn into one of the best edge rushers in the draft, with room to grow.
He’s also one of the most polished edge prospects, employing an array of pass-rushing moves, it should allow him to make an immediate impact on a Dallas defense that was unable to bring the QB down last year.
Drafting Lawrence was a great get, but fleecing the rival Philadelphia Eagles out of two fourth-round picks in the process adding icing on the cake.
Dallas continued to address their defense when they selected Barham, a versatile defender who continues to ascend as an edge rusher. Barham also brings skills as a linebacker, far more developed than his pass rush talent currently is. That's the position where he will begin his career with the Cowboys, according to Brian Schottenheimer.
The incredible closing speed and athleticism of Barham are obvious, and his run-stopping grade is just as impressive.
Once his pass rushing skills catch up with the rest of his game, the Cowboys could have unearthed a gem in the third round.
The Cowboys have two starting tackles and a decent swing tackle, but Shelton’s selection makes it clear they could be looking for an upgrade for all three players. Shelton started 34 games while at Penn State, and gave up just one sack last season.
Needs at other positions knocks the pick down a bit, but if Shelton takes the swing tackle gig from Nathan Thomas as a rookie, it will make this pick useful. If he shocks and competes for a starting gig, like former UDFA right tackle Terence Steele did years ago, it would be a shocking upside.
It has been an offseason where the team has collected veteran cornerbacks like candy, so the team needed to draft a young option. Moore has experience in all schemes and was a dominant force for the Florida Gators, excelling against the pass as well as the run.
The size and coverage skills are there for Moore, but he does have health concerns, missing 20 games over the course of his college career. However, he did start all 11 games last season, even though he had some minor issues this offseason.
If he stays healthy, the Cowboys have a player many considered to be a top-tier prospect based on talent alone. Grabbing this type of player in the fourth round is a much better look than their normal second-round excursions.
The Cowboys craved versatility with their draft picks and Overton fits that bill as well. He was a defensive end at Alabama, finishing with seven sacks and 12 tackles for a loss last season, but he’s also a good run-stopper who can set the edge playing with leverage and power.
Cowboys owner/GM Jerry Jones made comparisons with former Cowboy Osa Odighizuwa, who played as an undersized defensive tackle, so perhaps Overton gets some looks inside as well. The Cowboys have added a player to the rotation who can compete for starting snaps in the less important 4i position in Christian Parker's scheme, and be rotational inside when going to a four-man line.
Dallas is a team that looks for athletic traits late in drafts, and found a big-play threat in Smith, who ran a 4.40 second 40-yard dash. At 6-foot-3 and 190 pounds, Smith has the size to make plays down the field and was someone worth taking a chance on in the seventh round.
This article originally appeared on Cowboys Wire: Pick Grades: How much will each Cowboys draft selection help?
Continue reading...
Conventional wisdom says one must wait three years to evaluate a draft, but the initial grades for the Cowboys in this draft are high. Instead of drafting the class, this exercise assign a grade to each of the individual seven picks. Here’s how the Cowboys made out in the 2026 draft.
First round (11 overall), Caleb Downs: A+
If he wasn’t the consensus top player on most teams’ draft boards, he was surely near the top. Only positional value stopped Downs from being selected higher, which became the Cowboys’ gain.
Getting one of the best prospects in the draft outside the top 10 is a home run and the team got what they desperately needed, a nickelback to help an ailing pass defense. New defensive coordinator Christian Parker gets his chess piece in Downs.
There was no better pick the for the Cowboys in this draft than Downs.
First round (23 overall), Malachi Lawrence: A-
The Cowboys needed another pass rusher to help a group that struggled to get to the quarterback last season and Lawrence was a fast riser in the draft process. Lawrence’s athleticism, speed and power saw him turn into one of the best edge rushers in the draft, with room to grow.
He’s also one of the most polished edge prospects, employing an array of pass-rushing moves, it should allow him to make an immediate impact on a Dallas defense that was unable to bring the QB down last year.
Drafting Lawrence was a great get, but fleecing the rival Philadelphia Eagles out of two fourth-round picks in the process adding icing on the cake.
Third round (92 overall), Jaishawn Barham: A
Dallas continued to address their defense when they selected Barham, a versatile defender who continues to ascend as an edge rusher. Barham also brings skills as a linebacker, far more developed than his pass rush talent currently is. That's the position where he will begin his career with the Cowboys, according to Brian Schottenheimer.
The incredible closing speed and athleticism of Barham are obvious, and his run-stopping grade is just as impressive.
Once his pass rushing skills catch up with the rest of his game, the Cowboys could have unearthed a gem in the third round.
Fourth round (112 overall), Drew Shelton: B-
The Cowboys have two starting tackles and a decent swing tackle, but Shelton’s selection makes it clear they could be looking for an upgrade for all three players. Shelton started 34 games while at Penn State, and gave up just one sack last season.
Needs at other positions knocks the pick down a bit, but if Shelton takes the swing tackle gig from Nathan Thomas as a rookie, it will make this pick useful. If he shocks and competes for a starting gig, like former UDFA right tackle Terence Steele did years ago, it would be a shocking upside.
Fourth round (114 overall), Devin Moore: A-
It has been an offseason where the team has collected veteran cornerbacks like candy, so the team needed to draft a young option. Moore has experience in all schemes and was a dominant force for the Florida Gators, excelling against the pass as well as the run.
The size and coverage skills are there for Moore, but he does have health concerns, missing 20 games over the course of his college career. However, he did start all 11 games last season, even though he had some minor issues this offseason.
If he stays healthy, the Cowboys have a player many considered to be a top-tier prospect based on talent alone. Grabbing this type of player in the fourth round is a much better look than their normal second-round excursions.
Fourth round (137 overall), LT Overton: B
The Cowboys craved versatility with their draft picks and Overton fits that bill as well. He was a defensive end at Alabama, finishing with seven sacks and 12 tackles for a loss last season, but he’s also a good run-stopper who can set the edge playing with leverage and power.
Cowboys owner/GM Jerry Jones made comparisons with former Cowboy Osa Odighizuwa, who played as an undersized defensive tackle, so perhaps Overton gets some looks inside as well. The Cowboys have added a player to the rotation who can compete for starting snaps in the less important 4i position in Christian Parker's scheme, and be rotational inside when going to a four-man line.
Seventh round (218 overall), Anthony Smith: B
Dallas is a team that looks for athletic traits late in drafts, and found a big-play threat in Smith, who ran a 4.40 second 40-yard dash. At 6-foot-3 and 190 pounds, Smith has the size to make plays down the field and was someone worth taking a chance on in the seventh round.
This article originally appeared on Cowboys Wire: Pick Grades: How much will each Cowboys draft selection help?
Continue reading...
