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Cowboys Address Defense Twice in Round 1, Landing Safety Caleb Downs and Edge Rusher Malachi Lawrence
- On Thursday, the Dallas Cowboys traded up to the 11th pick to select Ohio State safety Caleb Downs, sending the 12th overall pick and two fifth-round selections to the Miami Dolphins.
- Following a 2025 season where the unit allowed the most points in franchise history, the Cowboys prioritized defensive reinforcements to address multiple roster holes .
- Dallas later traded the 20th pick to the Philadelphia Eagles for the 23rd selection, drafting UCF edge rusher Malachi Lawrence, a 6-foot-4, 253-pound prospect with 20 career sacks.
- Owner and general manager Jerry Jones called Downs "a prize," while the team views the new safety as the "quarterback" of their defense, strengthening a unit that required immediate improvement.
- Day 2 of the 2026 NFL draft kicks off Friday at 6 p.m. CT, where the Cowboys look to continue building defensive volume and finding value in the upcoming rounds.
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Cowboys trade up to pick Caleb Downs 11th overall, take Lawrence at 23
The Cowboys fill a position of need with the first of two opening round selections.
·Cherokee County, United States
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Cowboys select Malachi Lawrence to bolster defensive line
DALLAS, Texas (KETK)-- With the Dallas Cowboys' second pick of the night, they have selected defensive end Malachi Lawrence from the University of Central Florida with the 23rd pick in the first round. Lawrence is coming off an impressive senior year at Central Florida, leading the team with seven sacks and 11 tackles for loss [...]
Coverage Details
Total News Sources70
Leaning Left13Leaning Right6Center34Last UpdatedBias Distribution64% Center
Bias Distribution
- 64% of the sources are Center
64% Center
L 25%
C 64%
11%
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