Now that everyone is getting a chance to catch their breath after a whirlwind 72-hour race, it's time to reflect back on just what was witnessed. The Dallas Cowboys have received top grades from most outlets for the work they did with their picks, and it's a refreshing change from the direction things have been going in recent years.
Of course, drafts can't be judged two days after it's over; that's more of a long-term evaluation even if the 3-hour news cycle of this generation demands instant hot takes. But the process can be analyzed, and for that an opportunity to dust off a crucial tell-tale from years past, because the Cowboys Draft Commandments roared back into relevancy in 2026.
Starting back in the mid 2010s with the Jason Garrett-Will McClay tandem, I began tracking the tried and true methods of the Cowboys and their draft proclivities. The change to Mike McCarthy in 2020, along with his revolving door of defensive coordinators, began to erode confidence levels.
But now in Year 2 of Brian Schottenheimer, order seems to have been restored. Here's a stroll through the Commandments we feel played out perfectly in this year's draft exercise, and the ones that continue to fall by the wayside.
This was an on again, off again commandment that could only rear it's head whenever there was a regime change. The biggest problem? The Cowboys have now changed coordinators in three straight offseasons. So this one went out the window regardless because they'd never go defense heavy if they held onto this one.
However, boy did they bury this one in 2026. The Cowboys went offense with their first three selections, plus they traded for a defensive starter during the second round when they didn't have a pick. They went defense with five of their six picks in the fourth or earlier, only drafting Drew Shelton at No. 112 and then WR Anthony Smith way later in the seventh.
When the Cowboys had their ridiculous pre-draft presser last Wednesday, interrupted by a visit from President Bill Clinton that led to Jerry Jones leaving the media hanging, the initial takes were that there wasn't much ground covered.
In the past, the Cowboys have been amazingly revealing in these pressers, foretelling their strategies and plans. This year, three major things spoken on came to fruition.
They were having multiple conversations about trading leading up to the draft.
The Cowboys traded up with the Dolphins to secure Caleb Downs
The Cowboys traded down with the Philadelphia Eagles to get two 4th-round picks
The Cowboys traded a Day 3 pick to San Francisco for 49ers LB Dee Winters
They didn't want to use their 3rd round pick to trade up
The Cowboys waited to make a trade up from No. 12 until the costs made sense
Not negotiating with WR George Pickens, he was going to have to play on the franchise tag
Two hours before the first pick, Pickens signed the tag to lock in his $27.3 million one-year salary
One of the biggest tenets of the early Will McClay era was that he had major questions about the ability of players who didn't perform on the biggest college stages to excel when under the bright lights of playing for America's Team. Under McCarthy, that started to wane.
The Power 5 schools dominated the Cowboys' draft hauls, with at most one player from a Group of 5 conference in any particular class. But from 2022 through 2024, The MAC, Ohio Valley, Sun Belt (x2), the Mountain West (x2), the AAC and the Missouri Valley all saw prospects make their way to Dallas.
This year? With six picks through the first four rounds, it was all Power 4.
The one-off didn't come until the seventh-round flyer, ECU WR Anthony Smith (AAC).