Prisco highlighted the impact of Dallas’s first-round picks, Caleb Downs at 11 and Malachi Lawrence at 23, noting Downs’s versatility in the secondary and Lawrence’s pass-rushing speed. The franchise made aggressive moves to secure both players, including trading up with the Miami Dolphins for Downs and later trading down with the Philadelphia Eagles to add Lawrence and extra draft capital.
The 2026 draft marked a notable shift for Dallas, as it was the first time since 2005 the team selected two defensive players in the first round. The picks come after a disappointing 2025 season in which Dallas finished 7–9–1 and missed the playoffs, despite ranking seventh in scoring but surrendering an NFL-worst 30.1 points per game.
Prisco pointed to improvements across the defense—enhanced pass rush and better coverage—as key components of the Cowboys’ potential turnaround. He cited the addition of a premier edge rusher and an improved secondary as foundational to a higher-scoring offense, projecting Dallas to contend for the NFC East title and compete for the league’s top honors.
Head coach Brian Schottenheimer now has new tools to rebuild the defense, especially after the departures of Micah Parsons and Zack Martin. With the NFC East remaining competitive, Prisco’s assessment presents cautious optimism about Dallas’ trajectory toward playoff success in the near term.
