Dallas Cowboys made 7 picks in the 2026 NFL draft. Get to know all of them
The Dallas Cowboys selected seven players in the 2026 NFL draft, headlined by two first-round defensive picks in Ohio State safety Caleb Downs and Central Florida defensive end Malachi Lawrence.
Here are the key takeaways:
• The Cowboys traded up from No. 12 to No. 11 with the Miami Dolphins, giving up two fifth-round picks, to select Downs, who won the Jim Thorpe Award in his junior season at Ohio State.
• Dallas traded back from No. 20 to No. 23 with the Philadelphia Eagles, picking up two fourth-round picks (No. 114 and No. 137), before selecting Lawrence.
• Five of the team’s seven selections were defensive players, with Penn State offensive tackle Drew Shelton and East Carolina wide receiver Anthony Smith as the only offensive picks.
• Michigan linebacker Jaishawn Barham was the lone Day 2 selection, and the Cowboys also traded for veteran linebacker Dee Winters, a former TCU standout.
• Florida cornerback Devin Moore and Alabama defensive lineman LT Overton rounded out a trio of fourth-round picks alongside Shelton.
Below is a full introduction to each player selected:
Caleb Downs, safety, Ohio State
With the No. 11 overall pick in the 2026 NFL draft, the Dallas Cowboys selected Ohio State safety Caleb Downs, as they traded up from their original No. 12 selection with the Miami Dolphins to take the All-American defensive back. In the deal, the Cowboys gave up two fifth-round picks.
“Extremely excited, extremely blessed to be here,” Downs said. “I’m excited to be a Cowboy and play football. I had a great feeling on our 30-visit.”
As a fit for the Cowboys, Downs could come in and immediately start at safety or the nickel corner spot. His instincts in coverage allow him to play in a large range on the back end, but he also brings the physicality to play close-man coverage at the line as a nickel cornerback.
“Be able to play in a lot of different facets,” he said about his role in Dallas. “Be at the line of scrimmage and the deep part of the field.”
A two-year starter at Ohio State after a standout freshman season at Alabama, Downs combined for 256 tackles, six interceptions, 10 pass deflections and three forced fumbles in his college career. In his junior season at Ohio State, he won the Jim Thorpe Award for the nation’s best collegiate defensive back.
While offensive players were flying off the board early, defensive players started to come off in a hurry such as LSU cornerback Mansoor Delane, Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles and Ohio State linebacker Arvell Reese. This forced a small trade up for the Cowboys to secure their guy.
Malachi Lawrence, defensive end, Central Florida
With the No. 23 overall pick in the 2026 NFL draft, the Dallas Cowboys selected Central Florida defensive end Malachi Lawrence, adding him with Downs as the team’s two first-round picks.
At 6-foot-4.5, 253 pounds, Lawrence brings a healthy combination of a pass rush arsenal and edge-setting in the run game. In his four years at UCF, he combined for 72 tackles and 20 sacks. He reunites with new Cowboys assistant line coach Demeitre Brim, who came from UCF over the offseason.
The Cowboys were initially on the board with the No. 20 pick, but they traded back from the selection to No. 23 with the Philadelphia Eagles and picked up two fourth-round picks along the way (No. 114 and No. 137). With a few pass rushers coming off the board, Dallas elected to stick at No. 23 and make the selection.
During the draft process, Lawrence was a player new defensive coordinator Christian Parker became infatuated with, and he ends up getting his guy.
Jaishawn Barham, linebacker, Michigan
With the No. 92 overall pick in the 2026 NFL draft, the Dallas Cowboys selected Michigan outside linebacker Jaishawn Barham. He was the lone selection of the day for the team.
“When I heard it, I was shocked and happy,” Barham said. “There was a lot going through my mind, but ultimately, my mom is a big fan. Seeing her smile made me know this is a blessing.”
In two seasons each at Maryland and Michigan, he combined for 119 tackles, 23 tackles for loss and 12 sacks. His run defense could immediately step in as a presence off the edge for the Cowboys in the Christian Parker 3-4 defense or as an off the ball linebacker, where he also played some snaps at Michigan.
“I talked to both coaches about playing off the ball and on the ball,” Barham said. “I feel like my goal is to be able to play both, as needed, pretty much.”
At 6-foot-3, 243 pounds, Barham steps into a now-crowded outside linebacker room where he figures in as one of the better run defenders and as a specialized pass rusher. During the draft process, he made a facility visit, or 30-visit, to the Cowboys’ headquarters in Frisco.
“When I first got to Dallas, I said, ‘This looks fake.’ Everything looks good,” Barham said. “Everything was brand-new. I feel like when I got to talk to the coaches, I was like, ‘OK, these coaches really know football. They’re building the defense, I can tell.’ New D-coordinator, new linebackers coach. So, I feel like when I got there, I felt like it was something I could be a part of by their culture and how they move.”
Coincidentally, Barham joins former Cowboys nickel cornerback Jourdan Lewis (drafted in 2017) as the two Michigan products to be drafted by Dallas with the No. 92 overall selection.
“We used to see old film of him in meeting rooms,” Barham said. “I haven’t been able to meet him yet.”
Drew Shelton offensive tackle, Penn State
With the No. 112 overall selection in the 2026 NFL draft, the Cowboys selected Penn State offensive tackle Drew Shelton, adding some immediate competition at the left tackle position for Nate Thomas and potentially Tyler Guyton.
“I’m so thankful and excited to be a part of the Dallas Cowboys,” Shelton said. “I’m ready to be a part of it. I’m going to do whatever the team needs me to do to succeed. … It’s just the culmination of all the work that you’ve put in from being a little kid and the dreams and aspirations to be an NFL football player. This is everything that I’ve ever wanted to do, everything I’ve ever wanted to be, and it’s finally coming true.”
He reunites with Cowboys offensive line coach Conor Riley, who recruited him out of high school when he was at Kansas State.
“He’s a great coach, and he’s going to get the best out of me every single day,” Shelton said.
Shelton attended the Cowboys’ game against the Los Angeles Chargers last season, his first time at AT&T Stadium.
“That stadium is crazy,” he said. “It’s an awesome atmosphere, and it’s just the people around, they’re invested and that’s the kind of organization you want to play for.”
Shelton also reunites with former high school teammate Tyler Booker, as the two played at the prestigious IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, together for one spring. He also trained alongside Cowboys starting right tackle Terence Steele in Frisco during the draft process.
“[Booker] was the main reason I went down there,” Shelton said. “He’s a great competitor, and I’m excited to get down there with him … I got to work out with Terence Steele. Great dude, really good person, good football player, and got to pick his brain a little bit and just excited to play with him now.”
Shelton, a four-year player at Penn State, played three seasons at left tackle and one at right tackle. In 2025, he allowed just one sack and 18 quarterback pressures over the course of 356 pass block snaps. In his senior season, he committed just one penalty. Across his career, he also took snaps at left guard and right guard.
A native of Downington, Pennsylvania, Shelton played in a balanced zone/gap run scheme for the Nittany Lions. Shelton shined at the combine aside fellow tackles with a 31-inch vertical jump and a 5.16 40-yard dash. He did deal with a hamstring injury during the draft process.
Devin Moore, cornerback, Florida
With the No. 114 overall pick of the 2026 NFL draft, the Cowboys selected Florida cornerback Devin Moore, the second of three fourth-round selections Saturday.
For the second draft in as many years as head coach of the Cowboys, Brian Schottenheimer — a University of Florida graduate — has taken a Gator off the board.
“You’re getting the best corner in the draft,” Moore told owner Jerry Jones on the phone when he made the call to draft him.
Moore, a four-year player with the Gators, led his team in interceptions a year ago with two. At 6-foot-3, 198 pounds, Moore is a palm tree on the outside who uses his length to make route-running specifically difficult for opposing pass-catchers. One of the better tackling cornerbacks in the class, he will provide reliability in the run game. He also brings ample special teams experience that he can use on day one.
“This is everything and more to be picked by such a prestigious team,” Moore said.
A native of Naples, Florida, Moore comes from a basketball family, but he made the transition to football in high school, where he starred as a defensive back. At Florida, Moore played in a zone scheme as a perimeter corner taking on bigger outside receivers. With just 17 career starts, he will need to develop as a technician on the outside.
In 2025, Moore combined for 35 tackles and two tackles for loss to go three pass deflections and two interceptions.
Moore does have an extensive injury history, as he’s missed 19 games over the course of his career due to injuries to both shoulders, his back and a concussion. During the draft process, he was limited with a hernia and groin issue.
LT Overton, defensive lineman, Alabama
With the No. 137 overall selection, the Cowboys selected Alabama defensive lineman LT Overton. A native of College Station, Overton played two seasons at Texas A&M before transferring to the Crimson Tide for his final two seasons.
A former five-star recruit out of high school, Overton didn’t quite live up to his high billing, but the athleticism given the massive size at 6-foot-3, 287 pounds offers a lot of intrigue on day three.
He figures to factor in as a down lineman for the Cowboys in a 4 or 5-Tech role along the defensive line. He could also bring versatility as a standup outside linebacker with the ability to get under 270 pounds.
Overton factored into a lot of early-down situations at Alabama as a run defender, a role he could figure into with the Cowboys. His athletic profile and physical traits offer versatility, but it could also put him in a position where he doesn’t find a specific role at the NFL level.
He is former teammates with 2025 first-round pick Tyler Booker, as the two played at Alabama together in 2024.
Anthony Smith, wide receiver, East Carolina
With the No. 218 selection in the seventh round of the 2026 NFL draft, the Cowboys selected East Carolina wide receiver Anthony Smith, making him the final selection for Dallas in the draft.
“I had the faith that I would get picked this weekend,” Smith said. “I had the hope … We still kept the hope that I’d get drafted.”
With a spot in the starting group available at wide receiver following the departure of Jalen Tolbert this offseason, Smith steps in to bring competition to players such as Traeshon Holden and potentially Jonathan Mingo.
A transfer from North Carolina State, where he played four seasons, Smith transferred to East Carolina, where he hauled in 105 receptions for 1,852 yards and 13 touchdowns over the last two seasons.
Smith reunites with Cowboys cornerback Shavon Revel Jr., who was drafted in the third round out of East Carolina in 2025.
“We had talked the other day about things to expect at the next level and what to expect,” Smith said. “He has been pouring into me knowing this is my goal to be in the NFL.”
A player with ample special teams experience, he could factor in as an early contributor with a floor that should see him make the 53-man roster.
The summary points above were compiled with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists. The source reporting referenced above was written and edited entirely by journalists.
This story was originally published April 25, 2026 at 6:41 PM.
