In 2023 there is no “must-draft” position for the Cowboys, giving them flexibility in the first-round to address whichever unit they choose. But an edge rusher might not make sense at 26.
When you draft at the end of a round, the strategy is different. The pass rushers that interest the Cowboys here — let’s use Iowa State’s Will McDonald IV as an example — are more second-round projections. The problem is McDonald is unlikely to be around when Dallas is next on the clock at No. 58.
This is why teams that draft late in a round often justify reaching for a player 10 to 15 picks before they normally would be taken, knowing that player would be off the board on their next pick.