Getty
UCF DE Malachi Lawrence
The Dallas Cowboys doubled down on defense in the 1st round of the 2026 NFL draft, selecting UCF edge rusher Malachi Lawrence with the No. 23 overall pick.
Lawrence, who had 19.5 sacks over the last 3 seasons, followed Ohio State safety Caleb Downs, who was selected by the Cowboys with the No. 11 overall pick.
“At No. 23, the Cowboys selected UCF DE Malachi Lawrence,” ESPN’s Adam Schefter wrote on his official X account on Thursday night.
The Cowboys shook up the 1st round of the NFL draft by trading the No. 20 overall pick to perhaps their most hated rival, swapping places with the Philadelphia Eagles in the 1st round.
In exchange for the No. 20 overall pick and a 7th round pick, the Cowboys received the No. 23 overall pick plus the No. 114 overall pick and No. 137 overall pick.
The Eagles selected USC wide receiver and Biletnikoff Award winner Makai Lemon at No. 20 overall, likely signaling that the Eagles will trade 3-time NFL All-Pro wide receiver A.J. Brown after June 1.
Cowboys Looking to Reboot Edge Rusher Position
The Cowboys have had zero identity at edge rusher since trading NFL All-Pro Micah Parsons to the Green Bay Packers just weeks before the 2025 season.
That’s not to say Lawrence helps them have an identity. The 6-foot-5, 253-pound Louisville native ran a 4.52-second 40-yard dash at the NFL scouting combine but wasn’t a 1st round pick in most mock drafts.
NFL draft analyst Lance Zierlein projected Lawrence as a 2nd round pick.
“An NFL-caliber edge rusher with prototypical size and length, Lawrence moves with the suddenness of a smaller player,” Zierlein wrote. “Explosive get-off and a deep bag of moves/counters fuel his pocket disruption. He can win inside or outside but his speed-to-power conversion is average. His hands are subtle but skilled to quickly unlock openings and his secondary rush. He closes with burst and has the motor to hound scrambling quarterbacks. The next level will bring better tackles and more quick-sets, which will test how well his production translates. He makes splash plays behind the line but must provide better consistency and discipline in run support. Lawrence is an ascending prospect with rush polish and pro traits that should be enticing for pressure-hungry defenses.”
Cowboy Traded for Edge Rusher Rashan Gary
The Cowboys made a move to help solidify the edge rusher position this offseason by trading a 2027 4th-round pick to the Green Bay Packers in exchange for former 1st round pick Rashan Gary.
“Trade: the Green Bay Packers are finalizing a deal that would send DT Rashan Gary to the Dallas Cowboys in exchange for a late-round 2027 draft pick, per ESPN sources,” ESPN’s Adam Schefter wrote on his official X account on March 9. “New Cowboys’ DC Christian Parker was in Green Bay as a defensive quality control coach when Rashan Gary was drafted in 2019.”
Gary, 6-foot-5 and 277 pounds, was the No. 12 overall pick in the 2019 NFL draft and earned his lone Pro Bowl selection in 2024. He’s had at least 7.5 sacks each of the last 3 seasons, but in 2025 he was quickly market-corrected once the Packers obtained NFL All-Pro edge rusher Micah Parsons in a trade.
Tony Adame covers the NFL for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Washington Commanders, Dallas Cowboys, Baltimore Ravens, Philadelphia Eagles and Denver Broncos. A veteran sports writer and editor since 2004, his work has been featured at Stadium Talk, Yardbarker, NW Florida Daily News and Pensacola News Journal. More about Tony Adame
