FRISCO, Texas (AP) 鈥� The Dallas Cowboys took a player they coveted but didn’t expect to get in with alongside another who might end up being a more traditional linebacker in Jaishawn Barham.
In their first draft since one the league’s worst defenses gave up the most points with the fewest interceptions in franchise history, the Cowboys are mostly finished with an extreme makeover that included trades and free agent signings, not to mention the January hiring of 34-year-old defensive coordinator Christian Parker.
鈥淲e鈥檝e changed this defense,鈥� owner and general manager Jerry Jones said. 鈥淎nd if it were just last year, the way we played on defense, then that might not have called for this. But … what you鈥檙e seeing going on right now is a product of three or four or five years or maybe more that we just haven鈥檛 been able to ultimately get where we鈥檙e trying to go and be a contender. It鈥檚 going to be different, it鈥檚 going to be fresh.鈥�
Dallas missed the playoffs the past two seasons in large part because it couldn’t get the defense right, and the 30-year run without even a trip to the NFC championship game 鈥� the longest in the conference 鈥� is well-chronicled for a proud franchise with five Super Bowl titles.
Downs (No. 11 overall out of Ohio State) and Lawrence (No. 23 out of UCF) were the first pair of first-round picks for the Cowboys in 18 years. Downs is by far the highest draft pick Dallas has used on a safety since Darren Woodson retired in 2003.
Any comparison to a three-time Super Bowl winner and the club’s career leader in tackles isn’t a good idea when Downs hasn’t even stepped on a practice field for the Cowboys, who might be tempted to have those thoughts anyway.
Dallas had the extra first-round pick because of the trade of star pass rusher Micah Parsons to Green Bay last year. The Cowboys gave up the other first-rounder in that deal, a 2027 pick, to get star defensive tackle Quinnen Williams from the New York Jets during the 2005 season.
鈥淚f we get Darren Woodson out of him, we should really put a red letter around this day,鈥� Jones said after Dallas moved up one spot in a trade with Miami to ensure getting Downs. 鈥淟et me say this, no compunction whatsoever in my mind about taking Downs after doing all the trading we鈥檝e done to get these picks. I really did have a big, good inside feeling when we were able to get a player like that with the fruits of our labor.鈥�
The rest of the draft
The Cowboys took two more defensive players in the fourth round in Florida cornerback Devin Moore (114th overall) and edge rusher LT Overton of Alabama (137th). Five of their seven choices were on defense.
Dallas’ other fourth-rounder was Penn State tackle Drew Shelton (112th). The other offensive player taken was East Carolina receiver Anthony Smith with the second pick of the seventh round (No. 218).
Lining up the linebackers
The Cowboys have been trying to figure out linebacker for two years, with several swings and misses on veterans. The latest attempt is Dee Winters, acquired on the second day of the draft from San Francisco for a fifth-round pick.
While Barham 鈥� the 92nd overall pick in the third round 鈥� is listed as an edge rusher, he played behind the line of scrimmage earlier in his career at Michigan. The Cowboys say they’re intrigued by that.
Dallas is hoping for DeMarvion Overshown’s first fully healthy season in the 2023 third-round pick’s fourth year, and two other recent mid-round draft picks are still on the roster in Marist Liufau and Shemar James.
鈥淲e鈥檙e still building the room. We needed to rebuild it,鈥� executive vice president of personnel Stephen Jones said. 鈥淲e need to keep being a creative there and adding players and have competition.鈥�
The last word
Parker has been living in a hotel in the three months since the Cowboys hired him. Downs unexpectedly falling to Dallas could change that.
鈥淲hen we got Caleb, he told me and Jerry, he said, 鈥楬ey, now I鈥檒l buy a house,鈥欌�� coach Brian Schottenheimer said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 been busy, he鈥檚 been grinding on film, but getting a guy like Caleb made him comfortable. I don鈥檛 think he鈥檚 bought it yet, but in the next couple days, he said he鈥檚 ready to buy a house.鈥�
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