The Dallas Cowboys don't always do business with their rivals in the NFC East, but in assessing the 2026 NFL Draft, Dallas should be thanking both the New York Giants and Philadelphia Eagles for how they landed the crown jewel of their class.

The Giants, just a few picks after picking Ohio State linebacker Arvell Reese at the No. 5 spot, passed on his stellar college teammate, safety Caleb Downs, at No. 10. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, knowing his team needs help in the secondary, then managed a deal with the Eagles to jump from No. 12 up to No. 11 and snag the potentially generational talent.

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Downs is a prospect that has already received rave reviews for his athletic and cognitive potential in the NFL, and it seems his fit in Dallas is boosting that excitement even more.

In their annual post-draft debrief, ESPN analysts gathered to recap the action and determine their best performances.

As expected, the Cowboys were heavily praised.

Caleb Downs is the 'Culture-Changer' Dallas Needed

"The team that I think really did what they needed to do was the Dallas Cowboys,” veteran draft guru Mel Kiper Jr. said on "The Adam Schefter Podcast."

This endorsement, of course, comes at the beginning of the "biggest winners" segment of the draft recap. The Cowboys arguably had the worst defense in their franchise's history in 2025. Reinforcements were needed, and Downs is as good as it comes in this class.

"Somehow, try to figure out this defense and get this defense better," Kiper recalled about Dallas' mindset. "Five of seven picks were on the defensive side. We had talked about Caleb Downs as a culture-changer … He ends up with Dallas."Brandon Aubrey vs. George Pickens: Do Cowboys Get Credit For Different Contract Strategies?Aubrey signed a record kicker deal by pushing for speed. Pickens, however, accepted a franchise tag, revealing contrasting Cowboys contract philosophies.

The former Buckeye star took home the Jim Thorpe Trophy as last season's best collegiate defensive back. He figures to be a plug-in starter on Christian Parker's new defense in Dallas. Most believe Downs will line up at the versatile nickel cornerback spot, with veteran Malik Hooker and free agency signing Jalen Thompson manning the deep secondary.

Kiper explained how Dallas' No. 12 pick may or may not have been the right position to land such a defensive cornerstone. After swapping with the Miami Dolphins to move to No. 11 (and sending their thanks to the heavens after the Giants' pick of an offensive lineman), the Cowboys then moved back from No. 20 to No. 23 in the first round to grab edge rusher Malachi Lawrence from UCF.

That pick was well received, too.

Cowboys Make Familiar Move to Land Malachi Lawrence

Sure, the analysts acknowledge that Lawrence may not be the immediate double-digit sack-getter that a player like Micah Parsons was in the silver and blue. But the decision to address the Parsons-less defensive line remained crucial, even after landing a potential star in Downs.

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"He's a heck of a rusher," said Field Yates, who thinks anywhere from seven to nine sacks could be Lawrence's production level right away.

It's also hard to ignore the similarities in how Parsons and Lawrence both arrived in Dallas.

Adam Schefter points out how the last time the Cowboys made a first-round trade with Philadelphia, it landed them the future All-Pro Parsons. The Eagles, that year, landed wide receiver DeVonta Smith. In 2026, they also grabbed a wideout, USC's Makai Lemon. Both Smith and Lemon won the Biletnikoff Award in their final college season as the nation's best receiver.

"Malachi Lawrence, he is like a cheetah when opportunity knocks for him to gather a sack of a quarterback," Yates added. "He may be the kinda guy that, quality running games are gonna go 'We're gonna target No. 57,' ... but if it's 3rd-and-seven, and Dallas is trying to get off the field, Malachi Lawrence will be on the field for Dallas because he can hunt when rushing the passer."

Parsons was the lion. Lawrence is now the cheetah.

Hopefully, one big cat can fill the footprints left by the other.

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