4 Prospects Who Should Be Climbing Cowboys Draft Board After Day 1 of Combine

These four players stood out during the first day of drills at the 2026 NFL Combine, and the Dallas Cowboys should have been paying attention.

UCF defensive lineman Malachi Lawrence during the NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The NFL Scouting Combine is underway, and the Dallas Cowboys were paying close attention to the prospects on the field in Indianapolis on Thursday.

Dallas needs help on the defensive side of the ball, and the first athletes to participate in drills were defensive linemen and linebackers. With two picks in Round 1, the Cowboys likely use at least one of those selections on a prospect we just watched.

That said, here's a look at four players who stood out and should be climbing up the Cowboys' draft board.

Cashius Howell, EDGE, Texas A&M

Texas A&M defensive end Cashius Howell during the NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Those who worry too much about arm length will have crossed Cashius Howell off their list, but the Dallas Cowboys should know better. They previously had one of the best pass rushers in the NFL in Micah Parsons, who doesn't have ideal measurements for an EDGE player, but had unreal speed and physical talent.

That's what we saw with Howell, who ran a 4.59 in the 40-yard dash, but was even more impressive in pass rush drills. Howell hit a top speed of 14.52 MPH while rounding the corner, which is the fastest time according to Nex Gen Stats.

Cashius Howell (@AggieFootball) reached 14.52 mph while rounding the corner in the pass rush drill, the only defensive lineman to exceed 14 mph during the 2026 Combine.

Howell posted the fastest pass rush speed by any DL prospect since Will Anderson Jr. (14.90 mph) in 2023. pic.twitter.com/Bo0AxRfHBW

— Next Gen Stats (@NextGenStats) February 27, 2026

Jacob Rodriguez, LB, Texas Tech

Texas Tech linebacker Jacob Rodriguez during the NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

One of the best linebackers in the nation last season was Texas Tech's Jacob Rodriguez. As good as he was on tape, there were concerns with his athleticism. That's no longer the case after a strong showing on Thursday.

Rodriguez posted a 4.57 40-yard dash and a 38.5-inch vertical. He was smooth in drills, which was expected, but his athletic testing pushed him into the Round 2 conversation. The Cowboys don't currently have a pick on Day 2, but Rodriguez could be a target in a trade-back scenario.

Malachi Lawrence, EDGE, UCF

UCF defensive lineman Malachi Lawrence during the NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

This class is loaded with talent on the edge, and Malachi Lawrence made sure that he won't be overlooked. The UCF product measured in at 6-foot-4 and 253 pounds, then showed off unbelievable speed and agility for his size.

Lawrence ran a 4.52 in the 40-yard dash and a 1.59 in the 10-yard split. His movements in drills were equally impressive with Lawrence showing excellent bend and change of direction throughout the day.

Malachi Lawrence stood out among edge defenders 💪 pic.twitter.com/Icy3Thh4GK

— NFL+ (@NFLPlus) February 27, 2026

His performance increased his stock, and the Cowboys were surely one of the teams to take notice.

Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State

Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles during the NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The star of the show on Thursday was Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles. Already seen as a possible target for Dallas in Round 1, Styles did everything he could to increase his stock.

Styles ran a 4.46 in the 40-yard dash, had a 43.5-inch vertical, and went 11'2" in the broad jump. Those numbers are unreal for a player who is 6-foot-5 and 244 pounds.

The only question now is whether Styles will still be around at pick No. 12. Right now, that feels unlikely, but if he winds up being there, the Cowboys might have an easy decision on their hands.

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