Dallas Cowboys' Pressure-Packed 2026 NFL Draft Leaves No Room for Error

The Dallas Cowboys have now missed the playoffs two seasons in a row. For a franchise that gets so much attention and has the kind of history the Cowboys have, that feels like an eternity.

In 2025, the Cowboys sported one of the better offenses in the NFL, but that wasn't good enough because the defense was downright awful and was the biggest cause of the Cowboys' second consecutive season without a playoff berth.

Knowing that, it's not difficult to see why Bleacher Report's Gary Davenport pegged the Cowboys as one of the teams under the most pressure going into the 2026 NFL Draft.

"But the Cowboys have been making annual appearances on lists like these for many years now. This is a franchise that annually fashions itself a Super Bowl contender. And a team that hasn't made it to the NFC Championship Game in over three decades," Davenport wrote.

Davenport points out another obvious reason for the Cowboys being under so much pressure.

Not only has the team missed the playoffs two years in a row, but this is a franchise that hasn't won a playoff game since 2022, and Dallas hasn't won multiple since the mid-nineties, leaving a large swath of fans who haven't been alive to see multiple playoff victories in a single season.

Why the 2026 NFL Draft is crucial for Dallas

The Dallas Cowboys logo. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

It's very clear the Cowboys are feeling the heat. Jerry Jones has expressed urgency this offseason and the window to win while Dak Prescott is still at the top of his game is slowly closing.

If you look back at the Cowboys' dynasty in the 1990s, Dallas' teams were littered with great draft picks. That only drives the point home that acquiring young talent in the draft is the foundation of successful NFL teams.

That is no different this year, except the Cowboys really only need to hit it big on defense. There is more than enough on offense for Dallas to at least return to the playoffs if the defense improves.

While the firing of Matt Eberflus and hiring of Christian Parker is a big positive, that isn't going to solve the problem by itself. Dallas still needs talent, and talent that fits in Parker's scheme.

Dallas has needs at every level of the defense, with edge rusher, linebacker, cornerback and safety being among those needs.

With the free agency pool having dwindled in terms of true impact talent, the NFL Draft figures to be the best avenue for Dallas to address most of those needs. And not only does Dallas have to address them, the team needs to add players who can make an immediate impact given the urgent situation.

It's all about Round 1

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones talks before the game against the Arizona Cardinals. — Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones. | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Luckily, the Cowboys have a pair of first-round picks and we know the first round is where teams are most likely to land the best players who offer higher odds of making a big impact in Year 1.

While a trade up from No. 12 might be an exciting scenario to think about, sticking and picking at both spots gives Dallas better odds to get two immediate-impact players.

Adding more pressure to the situation, the Cowboys don't have a second-round pick and won't be on the clock again until the third round if they stick and pick in both first-round spots, so they desperately need to hit on those selections on opening night.

And Jerry can't stray from what is obviously the needed approach with those two picks and take an offensive player. Doing so could prove to be the difference between the Cowboys getting back to the playoffs or having a similar outcome as 2025.

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