5 things to know about the newest Cowboys LB, Dee Winters

The Dallas Cowboys didn’t hold a second-round pick in the 2026 NFL draft, but they did manage to add a player during the early part of Day 2. The team traded a fifth-round pick to the San Francisco 49ers for linebacker Dee Winters. It was a move the Cowboys telegraphed at their pre-draft press conference earlier in the week, where they admitted they were likely trading for a veteran player.

The player and position were unknown, until now. Winters is a four-year veteran who started all 17 games for the 49ers last season. Here’s five things to know about the newest Cowboys LB.

1. Texas background Dallas finds a LB who has ties to the state, growing up in Burton, Texas. After high school, Winters took his talents to TCU , where he eventually became an All-Big 12 player during his senior season.

2. Recruitment process Winters ranked as the 87 th best player in the state, as was recruited by Arkansas, Northwestern, Arizona St. and Texas Tech before committing to TCU.