As the Dallas Cowboys prepare for the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft, the front office has an enormous opportunity by owning two picks in the top 20. The Cowboys currently have picks 12 and 20 (via the Green Bay Packers from the Micah Parsons trade). This provides a great chance to cash in on some top defensive talent; however, they must make these picks count because they don’t possess any picks in either the second or third rounds. This puts immense pressure on the scouting department to maximize its early draft capital to address its most pressing needs.
The last time the Cowboys had two top 20 picks was over 20 years ago, when they had picks 11 (DeMarcus Ware) and 20 (Marcus Spears) in 2005. That’s a good start to a defensive rebuild. The Cowboys would love to pull off a similar double-dose of Day 1 goodness with two strong defensive players.
Having two top 20 picks is a big deal, but what if we told you the Cowboys had two top 20 picks last year? Clearly, they didn’t, so you might proclaim, “Objection, your honor!” However, if the judge studied law at Pro Football Focus University, they would retort with, “Overruled!”
That is because if you were to do a re-draft of the first three rounds from a year ago, based solely on PFF grades, the Cowboys would’ve landed two top 20 picks. Here is how all of those players stack up based on their rookie PFF grades (raw data courtesy of @sfdata9ers)
People have their own opinions about PFF’s grading system. Some appreciate the detail of a play-by-play evaluation that dials in on execution and not just the result of the play. The analysis is quite comprehensive, and the more data sampled, the more accurate the result will be.
But at the same time, the grading is subjective. What they see is what they see, and they have to make assumptions since they’re not in a huddle when the play is called. While it’s far from perfect, it’s still an effective tool.
PFF has the Cowboys making out like bandits with their first two picks. While Tyler Booker didn’t quite live up to his draft stock, Donovan Ezeiruaku looks like a draft steal. Despite being the sixth defensive end selected, only Abdul Carter, who was taken third overall, finished with a higher grade.
Of course, it wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows for the team’s top three draft picks. Third-round pick Shavon Revel Jr. struggled to find his footing, ultimately finishing the year ranked 98th out of the 102 players on this list.
Booker entered the league with a reputation for physical dominance, and his rookie campaign only solidified that status. His primary strengths lie in his elite anchor and the ability to displace defensive tackles in the run game, which helped him earn a run-blocking grade of 79.1, the highest of all rookie offensive linemen.
On the defensive side of the ball, Donovan Ezeiruaku emerged as a surprise force coming off the edge. His quick first step and sharp awareness allowed him to rate well both against the pass and run. He had a 13.7% pass-rush win rate that equated to 36 total pressures. His sack total was low as he only had two, but he showed a lot of promise in a solid rookie campaign, giving fans a lot to be excited about going forward.
In contrast to the immediate success of his classmates, Revel Jr. faced a difficult transition to the professional level. His rookie year was marked by struggles in man coverage and a tendency to give up big plays on third down, leading to a season where he allowed a passer rating of 119.7 when targeted. Despite these difficulties, he did show flashes of potential as he started out of the gate well. He didn’t allow a single reception in his first NFL game and only allowed five catches through his first three games.
There are legitimate reasons to remain optimistic about Revel as he enters his second year, especially with the arrival of a brand new defensive coaching staff. The new scheme is expected to utilize his length and recovery speed, and these coaches have a history of rehabilitating young defensive backs by simplifying their reads and finding ways to utilize their strengths. A bit of coaching polish could turn his raw traits into a reliable secondary asset.
The Cowboys secured two players who ranked in the top 20 of PFF grades from the 2025 class. While the third round saw some growing pains, the high-end production from Booker and Ezeiruaku justifies the team’s aggressive approach at the top of the draft.
Looking ahead to 2026, the Cowboys have the chance to repeat this success with another pair of top 20 selections. If they can replicate the success of their top two picks, they have the potential to add two more talented defenders to their roster.