Dallas Cowboys awarded two compensatory selections in April’s draft
The NFL has released the full list of 32 compensatory draft selections, and the Dallas Cowboys were awarded two fifth-round picks for free agents lost in the 2025 offseason.
The compensatory draft pick formula is used to award teams that lose key free agents with appropriate draft selections to keep roster-building mostly consistent. The method is also used to award teams that have minority coaches take head coaching jobs around the NFL.
The 2026 draft serves as the ninth draft in a row that Dallas has been awarded at least a fifth-round pick.
The two picks stem from the free agent losses of defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence (signed with the Seattle Seahawks) and cornerback Jourdan Lewis (Jacksonville Jaguars) last offseason.
The picks will be at No. 177 overall and No. 180 overall. Here is the complete list of selections Dallas is set to make in the 2026 NFL draft:
- No. 12 overall (first round)
- No. 20 overall (first round)
- No. 112 overall (fourth round)
- No. 152 overall (fifth round)
- No. 177 overall (fifth round)
- No. 180 overall (fifth round)
- No. 225 overall (seventh round)
Dallas does not have a second-round pick, as it was traded to the New York Jets in the deal for defensive tackle Quinnen Williams. The Cowboys’ third-round pick was sent to the Pittsburgh Steelers in the trade for wide receiver George Pickens.
Their sixth-round pick was sent to the New York Giants in the trade for defensive tackle Jordan Phillips. A seventh-round pick that Dallas received back in the Phillips trade from the Giants was sent to the Cincinnati Bengals in the trade for linebacker Logan Wilson.
Dallas’ original seventh-round pick was sent to the Buffalo Bills in the trade for cornerback Kaiir Elam. The Cowboys received a seventh-round pick from the Kansas City Chiefs in the trade for tight end Peyton Hendershot.
The 2026 NFL draft will take place April 23-25 in Pittsburgh.
This story was originally published March 10, 2026 at 9:11 AM.
