We’ll take a quick look back at what the Cowboys did on Day 2, and that will help lead us into the final day of the 2026 draft.
Recap of the second round:
Winter(s) comes early
The Dallas Cowboys were active on the second night of the NFL draft, despite having to wait 68 picks before selecting at 92nd overall in the third round. Maybe the Cowboys got some good intel that all of the top linebackers were going to go quickly in the second round, because as the second round was rolling along, Dallas announced a trade for San Francisco 49ers linebacker Dee
Winters.
The Cowboys gave up a fifth-round pick for Winters, who started 17 games for the 49ers last season and is entering the final year of his rookie contract. Before the draft, Stephen Jones talked about having conversations with teams about trades for veteran players, either during the weekend or after the draft.
Dallas desperately needed a starting-caliber linebacker to pair with a healthy DeMarvion Overshown. Winters isn’t the next Bobby Wagner or Fred Warner, but Christian Parker needed players with experience in the room, so at the very least, he can be a rotational player and could be a star special teams player.
Winter’s arrival gives the front office flexibility for the rest of the draft, not having to force a pick at linebacker to solve a glaring need.
Jaishawn Barham isn’t just another Michigan defender
With the 92nd pick in the third round, the Cowboys selected LB/Edge Jaishawn Barham from Michigan. I know what you’re thinking: Dallas could not possibly have selected another defensive player from Michigan. Do not worry. Barham has shown greater football motor and tenacity than Mazi Smith and Taco Charlton.
Yes, he is still raw and developing as a pass rusher, but the signs and traits are there. Head coach Brian Schottenheimer said during the night two post-draft press conference that Barham will start at inside linebacker for the team.
While that may be where he starts, that does not mean he will not end up being a versatile blitzer and rusher. Christian Parker should be familiar with betting on a player’s traits and molding them into a quality player. The Philadelphia Eagles and Vic Fangio did that with linebacker Zack Baun. If Parker has a vision to use Barham in a similar fashion to Baun, then this pick could work out very nicely for Dallas.
Where do they go on Day 3?
The Cowboys could go anywhere, especially with three picks in the fourth round. They could trade back and get a few more bites at the apple in the fifth and sixth rounds because after their final pick in the fourth round (No. 137), Dallas will not pick again until No. 218. That is an even longer wait than they had between rounds two and three.
However, if they do not trade away from their three selections in the fourth round, these are the three positions they could address—linebacker, cornerback, and backup offensive line.
Dallas could still use more depth at linebacker, both in developing players in Parker’s image and in having some able bodies for special teams during the season. Depending on how Parker feels about the long-term outlook of Caelen Carson, Josh Butler, and other players of the regime’s past, Dallas might want to give their defensive coordinator a young rookie cornerback to work with as an A-plus developer of the position. Not to mention, there is no clue how reliable DaRon Bland’s health will be at this point, despite positive updates from Brian Schottenheimer.
The Cowboys have not been shy about doing what they do best: drafting offensive linemen. As good as Parker is at coaching defensive backs, Dallas has a quality coach in offensive line coach Conor Riley. With Brock Hoffman leaving in free agency and T.J. Bass on a one-year, second-round tender, the offense could use a few more quality interior linemen to develop.
Also, if Dallas drafts E.J Smith, the son of franchise legend and Hall of Famer Emmitt Smith, that would be another really cool storyline similar to Deuce Vaughn.
Players to monitor:
- CBKeionte Scott (30-visit)
- CBMalik Muhammed (Dallas Day)
- CB Charles Demmings (30-visit)
- RB E.J Smith (Dallas Day)
- OL Caden Barnett (Dallas Day)
- OLB Harold Perkins Jr (Combine Visit)
- LB Taurean York (Pro Day Visit)
- LB Kaleb Elarms-Orr (Dallas Day)
