Dallas Cowboys Attempted 3rd Trade During Round 1 Of NFL Draft

The Dallas Cowboys were active during the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, and were trying to make one final move before sitting firm at No. 23 overall.

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones during warmups against the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium. | Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

The Dallas Cowboys were active on Day 1 of the 2026 NFL Draft, executing two first-round trades and landing two of their top targets from the pre-draft process.

Dallas moved up one spot to land Ohio State All-American safety Caleb Downs, before trading down from their second pick at No. 20 overall to select star UCF pass rusher Malachi Lawrence at No. 23.

It was great to see the Cowboys moving around, and it looks like the team is still looking to remain active as the draft rolls on. In fact, the team reportedly made an attempt at a third trade in the first round, before settling on the Lawrence selection.

According to Patrik Walker of the team's official website, the team attempted to trade back again out of the No. 23 pick.

Dallas Cowboys Nearly Missed Out On Malachi Lawrence

UCF Knights defensive lineman Malachi Lawrence is selected by the Dallas Cowboys with the No. 23 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Dallas nearly missed out on a chance to grab Lawrence while exploring another potential trade back, but everything played out in their favor. Because there were no suitors, Dallas stuck at No. 23 and made Lawrence their guy. If they wouldn't have pulled the trigger on the Lawrence selection, the San Francisco 49ers may have been interested in moving up and poaching the pass rusher.

"The 49ers were heavily eyeing [Lawrence] at No. 27," Walker wrote. The 49ers ultimately traded out of the No. 27 pick when Dallas sniped the UCF star.

With their two first-round picks, the Cowboys addressed two of the biggest needs on the roster with two players who can immediately make an impact, which is crucial for new defensive coordinator Christian Parker's scheme.

Lawrence had a career year with 28 tackles, 11 tackles for a loss, seven sacks, three passes defensed, and two forced fumbles during his final year with the Knights. He led UCF in tackles for a loss and sacks, so it's going to be exciting to see what he can do as he transitions to the next level.

North Carolina A&T Aggies quarterback Braxton Thomas is tackled by UCF Knights edge Malachi Lawrence | Mike Watters-Imagn Images

Now that the Cowboys have added Lawrence to their revamped pass-rushing rotation with Donovan Ezeiruaku and Pro Bowler Rashan Gary, who was added in a trade with the Green Bay Packers at the beginning of the new league year, the Cowboys have made a major upgrade that will hopefully pay off in 2026.

— Sign up for the Cowboys Daily Digest newsletter for more free coverage from Dallas Cowboys on SI —