Drafting projects one of 3 ways Cowboys can botch 2026 draft picks

It’s lying season in the NFL. With the 2026 NFL draft just days away, various scenarios, rumors, and leaks run rampant across fanbases coast to coast. The Dallas Cowboys are especially vulnerable to misinformation, with America’s Team dominating news cycles both locally and nationally.

While many fans have their preferences as to what the Cowboys should do in the draft this year, there is no hard and fast avenue to success. Drafts are won and lost a variety of ways, and things that may seem boneheaded on draft day, can actually prove genius in the long run. Winning the draft is just as much about avoiding mistakes as it’s about hitting home runs, so today we look at three ways the Cowboys can botch the 2026 NFL draft.

No. 1: Draft for need Best player available (BPA) is a philosophy that has seemed to lose all meaning over the years. BPA applied with the caveat “according to need” undermines the entire message and threatens to lead decision makers down the path to failure.

When prospects are at positions without clear paths to playing time, it makes sense when a team dings that position on their big board. But in the constantly churning environment of the NFL, there’s generally room for most positions in most situations. The Cowboys have vast needs across their defense, so many have all but ruled out offensive prospects early in the draft.