B
Dallas Cowboys
A sensible, unshowy class lands the Cowboys a B.
by pelcowboys ·
2026 NFL Draft
· 9 picks
· 4 steals
· 3 reaches
The Cowboys torched the value chart for George Gumbs Jr., taking him 84 spots sooner than anyone had him slotted.
The quarterback spot stays a question, and it was the one they most needed an answer at. The Payne value carries more weight than any single miss elsewhere.
Not a headline-grabber, but a perfectly good weekend's work.
Pick-by-Pick
A tidy little value on Arvell Reese in No. 12, a step better than break-even. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.
They stopped a slide they were happy to see, landing D'Angelo Ponds in the Round 2 slot. It also answers one of the loudest questions on the roster.
The board had De'Zhaun Stribling higher than Round 4, Pick 8, and the wide receiver fell to them anyway. It answers the question that was keeping the coaches up at night.
No edge and no loss on Jalen Farmer in the 111th pick; it is a wash and a sensible one. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
George Gumbs Jr. in pick No. 112 is a bet on their own eyes over everyone else's grade. Depth more than a fix, but depth they can use.
Demond Claiborne in pick 152 is early enough to raise a brow, if not a full objection. One more legitimate question on the roster, answered.
Kage Casey slid further than he should have, and No. 177 is lovely value for the offensive lineman. They walked in needing this and walked out with it.
Justin Jefferson at the 180th overall pick is a steep price for a hunch, hard to square with any board. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.
VJ Payne at slot 218 is the sort of value that quietly wins a weekend. It thickens a room that could stand to be thicker.