Dallas Cowboys' Round 1 Success Already Starts 'Super Bowl Contender' Talk

The Dallas Cowboys pulled off a major haul in Round 1 of the 2026 NFL Draft, and already has some analysts bringing up the "Super Bowl contender" talk.

Dallas Cowboys fans pose for a photograph during the NFL Draft at Campus Martius Park and Hart Plaza. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Dallas Cowboys have received wide praise for their haul in Round 1 of the 2026 NFL Draft, coming away with Ohio State star safety Caleb Downs and UCF pass rusher Malachi Lawrence after some wheeling and dealing.

Naturally, the Cowboys making trades leads to the team stealing the NFL headlines, so it's no surprise that one of the main topics of discussion has been about how much the team has immediately improved.

Every season, Cowboys Nation gets clowned on social media for the "this is our year" mindset, and recent comments from CBS Sports' Pete Prisco will do nothing to silence the chatter.

Following Round 1 on Thursday night, Prisco discussed the Cowboys' first-round selections, and wasted no time inserting the team in the "Super Bowl contender" conversation while predicting the team will win the NFC East.

Dallas Cowboys: Super Bowl Contender?

"The [Dallas Cowboys] are not only going to win the division, they're going to be a legitimate Super Bowl contender."@PriscoCBS 👀 pic.twitter.com/UkzLUsPLig

— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) April 24, 2026

Dallas addressed two of its biggest needs as the defensive overhaul continues, but there are still some major holes on the roster, most notably at linebacker.

Despite the team still needing to figure out some positions, Prisco is buying into the impact that Downs and Lawrence will have during their rookie campaigns under defensive coordinator Christian Parker.

"I'm going to sit here in late April and say it. The Dallas Cowboys are not only going to win the damn division, they're going to be a legitimate Super Bowl contender. And how many times have we heard that in Dallas, right? A lot. Oh my God, this is Dallas' year. You know what? For all the criticism that Jerry Jones has taken... the way they're constructed right now, new look defense, you add those guys to that defense. You add a pass rusher with Twitch. You add the guy in the back end," Prisco said.

"The Dallas Cowboys are going to score a ton of points on offense. That team is going to be a Super Bowl contender, and they will win the East."

Ohio State Buckeyes defensive back Caleb Downs is selected by the Dallas Cowboys with the No. 11 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

We may want to pump the brakes on the Super Bowl chatter, but there is no denying the Cowboys got much better on draft night. Downs is the kind of versatile defensive back who can excel in Parker's system, while Lawrence has incredible potential.

If the two players can develop at the next level, this could be type of franchise-changing draft haul that the team has been waiting for.

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