Like most Cowboys fans and Writers alike, we were dreaming last night, when the Dallas Cowboys struck gold, selecting Caleb Downs with the 11th pick in the 2026 NFL draft, after trading up with the Philadelphia Eagles.

Downs is a franchise changer. However, they didn’t pull off any blockbusters to move closer to the top-five for Sonny Styles or Arvell Reese like many speculated.

Downs is a hand-in-glove fit for the Cowboys, who are overhauling their defensive unit under first-year defensive coordinator Christian Parker after finishing with the third-worst defense in the NFL last season.

Many analysts feel Downs was the best non-edge rusher in the draft. Last year the Cowboys had the number 2 defense in the NFL, but it was fruitless as the couldn’t stop offenses defensively. But Downs won’t tolerate that on the back end of the secondary. He diagnoses and sniffs out plays, and he has the coverage and tackling ability to limit the big plays that buried the Cowboys in 2025 (54 plays allowed of 25 or more yards, most in the NFL).

Landing Downs was a big win for Dallas, and it used its second first-round pick to go defense again. The team has desperately needed pass-rush help after trading Micah Parsons to the Green Bay Packers.

After trading for former Packers DE Rashan Gary, the Cowboys gave him a running mate in UCF edge-rusher Malachi Lawrence who had 6 sacks last year, and attended 16 pro day workouts.

Day 1 was almost perfect for the Cowboys. If the add a linebacker in round 3 this defense will be elite.