The 2026 NFL draft has come and gone, and now, it is time to take a tough have a look at the strikes these 32 franchises took to beef their lineups up forward of the 2026-27 season.
Main as much as the draft, loads of discuss surrounded Indiana Hoosiers quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza. He was a no brainer No. 1 general decide going to the Las Vegas Raiders.
However, the Dallas Cowboys might have really gotten the “largest steal” of the NFL draft, not Vegas.
In a roundup of the “100 finest picks, steals and matches” of the 2026 NFL draft, Matt Miller of ESPN names his favorite moves and people steals that should not go unnoticed.
Dallas Cowboys acquired a winner in Caleb Downs
Miller offers the Cowboys the No. 1 “steal” within the draft for his or her collection of safety Caleb Downs because the eleventh general decide, after buying and selling with the Dolphins to safe him.
“My favourite decide of the draft, Downs shall be an instantaneous playmaker in new defensive coordinator Christian Parker’s scheme,” Miller says of the choice. “A 3-time All-American and a nationwide champion, Downs’ work ethic and culture-setting capacity are as necessary as his on-field abilities. He has soccer savvy and an amazing really feel for the sport, which supplies him alignment versatility and can enable him a sooner acclimation than most rookies.”
He provides: “The expectation is that he’ll change into a high-end starter with All-Professional potential throughout his rookie contract. The mix of participant, want and worth made this one of the best decide of the 2026 draft.”
It is nice to see the Cowboys highlighted for this transfer up within the draft, particularly since Jerry Jones is not all the time identified for his common draft selections. However, this one was an “A.”
Getting a security was a key want for the Dallas Cowboys going into the NFL draft, and since they weren’t keen to work out a free company transfer or commerce for one, discovering a budding security within the draft makes good sense. Downs ought to bloom underneath Parker’s teaching.
