The Dallas Cowboys pinned much hope on their 2026 draft class this season. Armed primarily with two first round picks, they set out to rebuild a defense that struggled mightily a year before. Early returns from the defense indicate there is still a ton to work out, but the picks Dallas used at the top of the 2026 draft have been doing plenty to hold up their side of the bargain.
Caleb Downs, widely considered the best defensive player in the draft class, has been as advertised two weeks into the season, already ranking in the top 10 in NFL safety grades and fast becoming the Cowboys best defender. Hidden on Page 2 has been the success of Dallas’ other first round pick, Malachi Lawrence. While Lawrence has yet to register an NFL sack, the developmental
pass rusher has flashed immense potential on the field.
His PFF pass rush grade of 73.0 ranks him No. 22 in the NFL, which is just a fraction of a point behind the likes of Myles Garrett, Will Anderson Jr. and Nick Herbig. Lawrence still has a long way to go before he’s ever placed on the same tier as any of those three pass rushers but based on gains he’s shown in Week 2 against the Washington Commanders, he’s on his way.
Malachi Lawrence all true pass rush reps in week 2
— NFL Draft Files (@NFL_DF) September 21, 2026
Looked very explosive, posting 3 pressures and 1 QB hit pic.twitter.com/ygqPufbL8G
Lawrence showed off variety of skill against the Commanders, using a mix of speed and power moves to harass passers. He has a long way to go before being technically sound, but the scouting department clearly hit the nail on the head in regard to his physical potential.
Pass rush win rate leaders through week 2 for edge rushers (via PFF and SumerSports) pic.twitter.com/1SJInJjblu
— Shaun Newkirk (@Shauncore) September 21, 2026
With just 53 defensive snaps, Lawrence is being used as a rotational part-time player at this point. But with those snaps falling an even 24-27 split between run snaps and pass snaps, he’s being groomed as an all-around player rather than a specialist. Getting better against the run remains his primary obstacle to overcome but it’s a necessary challenge if he wants to develop into the cornerstone edge Dallas thinks he can be.
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This article originally appeared on Cowboys Wire: All Snaps: Cowboys 'other' 1st-round pick appears on verge after strong Wk 2
