One of the most controversial selections the Dallas Cowboys made in the 2026 NFL Draft was picking LT Overton, a defensive end from Alabama, late in Round 4.
A big-bodied defensive lineman, Overton appeared in 49 games total at Texas A&M and Alabama but racked up only 12 career tackles for a loss and seven sacks. And yet, he has plenty of fans around the league.
The Cowboys selected two pass rushers early (Malachi Lawrence, Jaishawn Barham), but there is some belief that Overton could be the player who sees the field the soonest as a rookie. And that’s because so many believe he is one of the most unique and versatile players in the entire class.
One NFL scout believes the Dallas Cowboys stole LT Overton
In a recent article by Bob McGinn of the Go Long Substack, he asked several NFL scouts, executives, and league decision-makers to give their thoughts on the 2026 EDGE class. They ranked Overton as a top-100 player in the class and the No. 14-ranked pass rusher. Here is what one scout had to say about the former five-star recruit:
"(Overton) can be whatever he wants to be. He has rare movement skills but he takes a lot of plays off. Doesn’t always strain through blocks. He can play 3-technique. He played nose tackle with very good effectiveness. He played on the outside, collapsing the pocket. He’s the most versatile defensive lineman. There’s real value in him."
It's also worth noting that another scout told McGinn that Overton is a "third-round" player, but opinions on him are mixed around the league. Some view him as a big 4-3 defensive end, while others believe he is best suited to play in a 3-4 defense.
There isn’t a lot of confusion about Overton’s game, as he is a power play who does his best work shedding blocks and making tackles. He lacks the requisite burst and quickness to threaten offensive tackles as a pass rusher, but he is still undersized compared to traditional defensive tackles.
It’s pretty clear that the Cowboys want him to be part of their defensive line rotation with Overton likely taking snaps at 5T, 4I, and 3T. And there is a chance he could even kick further inside, depending on how the reshaping of his body goes over the next two seasons.
Overton is incredibly strong for a college defensive end, but will that translate to the NFL? That is the biggest question surrounding him and how quickly he’ll make it onto the field. He’s only 21 years old, and players like him usually gain a significant amount of strength by the end of their rookie contracts. But will he provide enough value until then? Or could he be a tweener without a true position?
One thing we know is that the NFL can never find enough players like Overton, as they are consistently searching for players with this body type and length.
If the Cowboys are willing to exercise some patience here and let Overton reshape his body into a 290-pound moveable chess piece, they just might have stolen a productive defensive lineman at the end of Round 4.
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