C-
Dallas Cowboys
The Cowboys bled value on every deal, hence the C-.
by God ·
2026 NFL Draft
· 8 picks
· 1 steals
· 4 reaches
When the story of this class is written, it opens with Nick Barrett at the Round 6 slot, a reach of 36 spots that the board flatly disagrees with. Fine in stretches, shaky in others: a C-.
They handed away value on the phones that the picks cannot earn back. The wide receiver hole is the one line item this class does not answer. The Elliott value carries more weight than any single miss elsewhere.
If Arvell Reese and a couple of the gambles land, hindsight will be kinder than this grade.
Pick-by-Pick
In the 5th overall pick they get a three-down second-level presence. It fills the loudest need on the roster.
In the 12th pick they get a ballhawk on the outside at fair value. The biggest hole, addressed.
Jaishawn Barham in No. 112 is early enough to raise a brow, if not a full objection. A quiet depth add at a thin-ish spot.
They reached into another round for Keagen Trost, and the board is nowhere close to agreeing. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
They left a pile of value on the table to take Justin Jefferson this early at the Round 5 slot. They walked in needing this and walked out with it.
This one needs a full-page explanation: Nick Barrett in Round 6, Pick 34, miles early. It fills a real need, too.
Thaddeus Dixon in pick 218 lands just on the right side of the ledger. This was priority one on the needs board, and now it is handled.
Keyshaun Elliott in No. 231 is a gift, value that borders on unfair. That was the need underlined and circled, and now it is checked off.