B-
Dallas Cowboys
Good, not great, for the Cowboys: B-.
by Kenny proctor ·
2026 NFL Draft
· 8 picks
· 2 steals
· 4 reaches
Call it a hunch or call it a gamble, but the Cowboys spent slot 152 on Nyjalik Kelly, a name most had 61 spots down the list.
They punted on cornerback, and it is the miss that keeps the grade honest. That is a wide receiver worth more than the slot they spent on him, plainly.
Wide receiver is handled and the depth chart looks a good deal healthier for it.
A workmanlike haul that should hold up just fine.
Pick-by-Pick
In the Round 1 slot they get a centerpiece for the ground game, and a steal at that.
In the 20th pick they get juice off the edge, even if it was a touch early. More want than need.
A quiet steal in No. 92: Elijah Sarratt for less than the market said. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
They jumped the gun on Keyshaun Elliott, taking him earlier than his grade liked. Better still, it is exactly the hole they had to fill.
They reached a country mile for Nyjalik Kelly at Round 5, Pick 12, and the board is aghast. A luxury on a unit that was already in good shape.
DJ Campbell at the 177th overall pick is a conviction pick that outran the value. This was priority one on the needs board, and now it is handled.
By-the-book stuff, Zane Durant at the 180th pick squarely in line with his ranking. A sensible fit that makes the depth chart a little sturdier.
Fair-plus on Dalton Johnson, a quiet win that adds up over a draft. A minor itch, scratched.