List Of Dallas Cowboys’ 2026 NFL Draft Picks & Team Needs

The 2026 NFL draft is finally here, and the Dallas Cowboys are set to make two picks during Round 1 on Thursday night.

While those two selections have garnered plenty of attention, a successful draft is one where a team finds talent in every round. The Cowboys understand this as they’ve found contributors in just about every round in recent drafts.

This year, they have eight total picks as they look to fill out their roster. Here’s a quick look at which selections they have entering draft night.

Round 1, Pick 12
Round 1, Pick 20 (from the Green Bay Packers)
Round 3, Pick 92 (from the San Francisco 49ers)
Round 4, Pick 112
Round 5, Pick 152
Round 5, Pick 177 (comp pick)
Round 5, Pick 180 (comp pick)
Round 7, Pick 218 (from the Tennessee Titans)

Dallas Cowboys biggest needs

Dallas Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer looks on before the game against the New York Giants. | Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images

There are several needs for the Cowboys, with the defensive side of the ball standing out as a major problem. There’s really not a single position that couldn’t use more depth. That said, here are their top five needs:

Linebacker
EDGE
Cornerback
Safety
Offensive Tackle

Dallas currently has just one linebacker they feel confident in starting, DeMarvion Overshown. That said, his injury history is concerning, so they shouldn’t rely on him alone.

On the edge, they have the recently acquired Rashan Gary and second-year player Donovan Ezeiruaku, but they could use a game-changer such as Rueben Bain Jr. from Miami. In the secondary, they added cornerback Colbie Durant and safeties Jalen Thompson and P.J. Locke this offseason. Those moves help, but the Cowboys need more long-term stability at each spot.

At offensive tackle, they have Tyler Guyton on the left side and Terence Steele on the right. Guyton is still a work in progress while Steele recently took a pay cut to stay with the team. This is definitely not the most pressing concern, but the Cowboys could use some depth and competition at offensive tackle.

What if the needs aren’t filled in the 2026 NFL draft?

Dallas Cowboys chief operating officer Stephen Jones at training camp at the River Ridge Fields. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

With so many needs, especially on defense, the Cowboys aren’t going to be able to fill every hole with starting-caliber talent this weekend. The good news is that they’re already working on a backup plan.

Stephen Jones told reporters on Wednesday that they were already working the phones, discussing potential trades for veteran players. This is the approach they used in 2025, adding George Pickens in a trade with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Roster building never ends, so while it will be exciting to see who Dallas selects, fans just have to remember more reinforcements could still be on the way.

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

Add us as a preferred source on Google