How Many Cowboys Rookies Will Actually Make an Impact in 2026 — and Where

Not every Dallas Cowboys rookie is going to make an impact in 2026. Here's a look at which first-year players are likely to make the biggest.

Ohio State Buckeyes defensive back Caleb Downs, | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Dallas Cowboys added seven new players to their roster in the 2026 NFL Draft, and while it was a solid haul, not all of the rookies are going to make an impact in Year 1.

While it isn't always the case, the typical order of things is the later the draft pick, the less likely that player is going to have a significant role in their first year.

And that's pretty much how we see things playing out for Dallas in 2026. Here's a look at the Cowboys rookies we expect to actually make an impact in their first seasons in the NFL.

S Caleb Downs

Ohio State Buckeyes defensive back Caleb Downs. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Downs is the prize of the Cowboys' draft class. He's going to be a Day 1 starter, for sure, and because of his versatility, that could be at one of the two safety spots, and he can play in the nickel, too.

"I would say if you watch my career, I've played in a lot of different positions," Downs said. "Show a lot of versatility in different ways, so, yeah, I feel confident in my abilities to play wherever they need me to. If that's nickel in the slot, then that's what I'm going to do at a high level."

Where Downs ends up likely depends on how things shake out with the rest of the defensive backs group, with P.J. Locke, Jalen Thompson, Malik Hooker and Cobie Durant all vying for roles.

EDGE Malachi Lawrence

UCF defensive lineman Malachi Lawrence. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

With Rashan Gary and Donovan Ezeiruaku, Lawrence may not be an official starter at edge rusher, but he's still going to have plenty of opportunities for snaps.

Lawrence can line up on the edge, of course, but he also has the ability to bounce inside on passing downs. As long as Lawrence is effective, Christian Parker is going to find ways to get his first-round rookie involved.

LB Jaishawn Barham

Michigan defensive lineman Jaishawn Barham. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Head coach Brian Schottenheimer said the plan is for Barham to start off playing mostly off-ball linebacker, where he played most of his snaps in college before seeing time at EDGE in 2025.

Dallas added veteran linebacker Dee Winters in a trade, so that will muddy the path for Barham to see the field. Even still, the Michigan product has better tools than Winters to get after the quarterback, so he's going to see snaps when Parker wants to bring heat up the middle.

Schottenheimer also noted that Barham will get looks on the edge, giving him another avenue to see the field. Those snaps will only increase as Barham improves his pass-rush repertoire, which could happen quickly with Brandon Jordan helping out.

What about the rest of the draft picks?

Florida defensive back Devin Moore. | Alan Youngblood/Gainesville Sun / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

There are paths for Drew Shelton, Devin Moore, LT Overton and Anthony Smith to get involved, but those paths aren't clear ones.

Schottenheimer believes Shelton may have the ability to slide to guard on top of his ability to play tackle. Dallas has two question marks in Terence Steele and Tyler Guyton at the bookends after both have struggled in recent years. A concern at guard pops up if Tyler Smith is moved to left tackle and forces T.J. Bass to start. Shelton will be hanging around just in case.

It's conceivable Devin Moore could give one of DaRon Bland or Shavon Revel a run for their money, seeing as how both were not good last year, but we envision Bland and Revel starting, which means Moore's best chance to see the field will be if one of the two get hurt, and even then Dallas has options other than Moore.

LT Overton offers some versatility as an inside/outside option, but he is likely to settle in on the interior. That said, he's got a lot of players to jump at both spots on the depth chart to see snaps.

Anthony Smith has an uphill climb just to make the roster, and an even steeper climb to see the field. That said, with depth options like KaVontae Turpin, Jonathan Mingo and Parris Campbell, the rookie has a better chance than most seventh-round picks to make the cut, and maybe he gets return looks if he does.