Round one of the 2026 NFL Draft is over, and it was a doozy with Jerry Jones and the Dallas Cowboys playing the 2026 NFL Draft board to near perfection. The Cowboys came into the draft needing to improve their defense and left with two very good players who could reshape their defense for years to come. But did they get maximum value for their picks? Let’s break it down.

Caleb Downs Draft Grade

I could not believe the NFL let Caleb Downs fall into the Cowboys’ lap. They technically had to trade up to get him, so I guess he didn’t “fall into their lap,” but they only had to move up one spot to make sure they got their guy.

Downs was my No. 1 player in this draft class, but since he plays safety, which isn’t a premium position, he slipped out of the top-10. I thought since this was a thin draft class that he would still go in the top-10, but even in a weak class, positional value reigned supreme.

Downs can do literally anything you want a safety to do. He can drop back deep and play zone coverage, he can line up in the slot and play man on a tight end, or he can come down into the box and get dirty in the run game. He’s the most versatile defender in this class, and right now, Dallas needs guys like him that can impact the game in more than one way.

Any time you can get the No. 1 player in the draft at No. 11, you’re going to get an extremely high grade, but when he also fills a position of need and will make your defense 10x better right away, you’re getting an A+.

Grade: A+

Malachi Lawrence Draft Grade

Edge rusher was arguably the position the Cowboys needed the most on Thursday night. They had one of the worst pass rushes in the league last season, and while they brought in Rashan Gary, they still needed to get younger and better at the position.

After passing on Rueben Bain Jr. at No. 11, the Cowboys had the chance to take his teammate, Akheem Mesidor, at No. 20, but they traded back three spots with their NFC East rivals, the Philadelphia Eagles, and missed out on Mesidor when he went at No. 22 to the Los Angeles Chargers.

So, instead of landing one of the Miami edge rushers, Dallas ended up with another Florida man in UCF’s Malachi Lawrence. Early in the process, I was lower on Lawrence than a lot of people, but I can see the appeal. He’s 6-foot-4 3/8 with 33 5/8-inch arms and runs a 4.52-second 40-yard dash with a 40-inch vertical. He’s a freak athlete, but I was disappointed to see he never recorded more than seven sacks in a single season in the Big 12.

He’s a project, but his floor is also much higher than someone like Keldric Faulk, who I thought could’ve been the pick here. I like the Lawrence pick, because it fills a big need, but I’m not totally in love with him as a prospect. Still, going edge rusher was the right pick here.

Draft Grade: B+