It was mission accomplished for the Dallas Cowboys in the first round of the NFL Draft.
FRISCO, Texas - The Dallas Cowboys doubled down on defense in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft ... and with trade rumors buzzing following last-second news about George Pickens, fans might've been worried to hear that both selections involved trades.
However, it was mission accomplished for Dallas in addressing its league-worst defense from 2025 by drafting two defensive prospects on Thursday in Pittsburgh. And it happened while also keeping Pickens, who has officially signed his tender and franchise tag to return for 2026.
The Cowboys traded with the Miami Dolphins to move up from No. 12 to No. 11 and draft All-American safety Caleb Downs out of Ohio State.
Widely considered one of the safest bets in this class, the Cowboys lock in their cornerstone defensive back for new coordinator and secondary specialist Christian Parker.
Later in the round, Dallas regathered the late-round picks it took to trade up by trading back from No. 20 to No. 23.
The second selection went to UCF defensive end Malachi Lawrence, completing a first-round effort that many in Cowboys Nation will be happy to see is dedicated to the defensive side of the ball.
Downs Was 'Can't-Miss' Talent - Cowboys Made Their Move
The credit here goes to Dallas' all-in decision to go after Downs, a generational prospect across most cumulative metrics. Even if it was moving up just one spot (Miami may have threatened to take him and requested added capital instead), the Cowboys recognized that the Ohio State star had the makings of what it'll take to turn around one of last season's worst secondaries.
There was a threat Downs would land to either of NFC East foes in New York or Washington who drafted ahead of the Cowboys, but Dallas took advantage of Downs' slide and now figures to use him as a versatile chess piece in Parker's scheme.
His motor and willingness to play physically make Downs an immediate fit for a zone defense, and his three-year starter experience in the SEC and Big Ten in a variety of positions gives him a rare football IQ for this class. Communication in the secondary was woefully the story of much of the Cowboys' season a year ago; Downs is a move to fix that.
He's the definition of a "can't-miss" talent, and the draft board worked out just in Dallas' favor to make the easy call.
Draft Haul Reassembled, Lawrence Reunites with Coach
After giving up two of their three fifth-round picks to move from 12 to 11, Dallas basically got those picks back when it traded with the Philadelphia Eagles (who?!) to move from No. 20 to 23 and inherited two fifths in return.
That allowed Dallas to grab a defensive end to begin filling out a spot that may be without its sack leader from last season, as veteran Jadeveon Clowney remains a free agent.
For Lawrence, this is also a reunion. He is back with Demeitre Brim, who was a defensive analyst at UCF before joining the Cowboys this offseason as an assistant defensive line coach under Marcus Dixon.
Dallas traded for Green Bay defensive end Rashan Gary and return second-rounder from 2025, Donovan Ezeiruaku, as the two main pass rushers. You can never have enough at the position - especially considering the drop off Brian Schottenheimer's team suffered there following the Micah Parsons trade.
Lawrence was an All-Big 12 honoree after posting seven sacks in 2025 and 20 for his career at UCF. He'll also join Sam Williams and James Houston as promising pieces in the edge unit.
While Downs is the safest choice of overall prospect, defensive end might've been Dallas' safest position to target with it's second first-round pick.
And it adds up to a strong showing on Day 1 of the draft for "America's Team".
