The Dallas Cowboys were widely considered to be one of the winners of the 2026 NFL Draft, as Jerry Jones managed to use both of his first-round picks to improve a wretched defense.
Landing safety Caleb Downs at No. 11 overall was a minor miracle, and getting pass rusher Malachi Lawrence at No. 23 overall gives them another interesting young player to work with.
Even though this is just the first few days of offseason practices, which don't have everyone out there going at full speed, both of these rookies have made some big-time plays that show exactly why they were so highly regarded as prospects. If they translate this to Sunday, the defense will be much improved.
According to Nick Harris of the Fort Worth-Star Telegram, Lawrence blew past starting left tackle Tyler Guyton for a sack, as he is already flexing his tremendous get-off to make plays.
Meanwhile, Downs is showing what a great run support safety he can be, as he met running back Jaydon Blue on an inside handoff that would have been followed by a vicious hit if pads were on. That makes for a solid first impression.
Dallas Cowboys rookies Caleb Downs, Malachi Lawrence thriving at OTAs
Downs played like a traditional safety during his time at Ohio State, but he was at his best when he was in the box and hunting opposing ball-carriers. Dallas is leaning heavily into that skillset, as all signs point to them deploying Downs as a larger nickel player who can move all around the defensive secondary.
Downs is regarded as the best safety prospect to come into the NFL since Kyle Hamilton. With Hamilton having established himself as an All-Pro and perhaps the best player in the league at his position, the Cowboys may be hoping for a similar developmental arc from Downs in his debut season.
Lawrence will likely be in the same boat as second-year dynamo Donovan Ezeiruaku. Lawrence's inability -- at this stage of his development -- to play the run at an above-average level will lead to him conceding snaps to Rashan Gary, but both Lawrence and Ezeiruaku have shown great bend and the athleticism needed to beat pro-level tackles.
Despite all of their oftentimes comical missteps with handling personnel, Dallas has generally been able to use their top picks to great effect. If Downs and Lawrence are as dominant as they were at Ohio State and UCF, respectively, Christian Parker's defense will have everything it needs to dominate in 2026.
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