Cowboys Draft Steal, Lawrence Upend

0:00On April 24th, the Dallas Cowboys made waves in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, snagging Ohio State Safety Caleb Downs at pick. Number 11, after trading up one spot with the Miami Dolphins. Then they flipped the script, trading back three spots with the Philadelphia Eagles to grab UCF ed rusher Malachi Lawrence at number 23, while pocketing two extra fourth round picks. Downs, a two-time unanimous All-American, brings elite versatility to a secondary, that tanked last season. He can cover, tackle, and even return punts. Like that 92 yard score he had, Lawrence exploded late in the process with combine numbers, like a 4.52 40 yard dash and a 40 inch vertical, backing up his 7, sex from last year. Cowboys fans lost their minds over the downsteel, seeing him as the top defender available, while Lawrence got solid buzz as a pass rush freak with. Long arms and burst. Media outlets mostly handed out A-grades for the Downs move,

1:02calling it perfect value, but were more mixed on Lawrence, grading him around a C plus 2. B as a reach with upside. New defensive coordinator Christian Parker now has blue chip tools to rebuild a unit that ranked dead last in coverage, especially after losing Micah. Parsons and missing their Nickelback. Lawrence joins recent Edgeditions, profiling as a rotational guy who could pressure quarterbacks early. This draft night hall lines up need with high end talent, giving Dallas real momentum to turn their defense around and chase that ring they crave. That wraps NFL news today. Brought to you with AI.