Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott during NFC practice at the Flag Fieldhouse Moscone Center South Building. Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Why Dak Prescott Must Dictate Cowboys' 2026 Draft Strategy

Originally posted on Dallas Cowboys on SI
By Josh Sanchez | Last updated Apr 14, 2026 8:01 AM ET

The Dallas Cowboys are just over one week away from potentially changing the future of the franchise, with two first-round picks in the 2026 NFL draft.

Dallas can ill-afford to waste the opportunity to add multiple impact players of need during the draft, with a defense that is in desperate need of reinforcements amid its offseason rebuild under new defensive coordinator Christian Parker.

The Cowboys have made no secret about wanting to improve the defense, but the team needs to get its picks right. One way to do that is to base their picks on proven talent and not potential, which is something the team has been willing to do in the past.

In a recent interview with All DLLS, NFL analyst Bucky Brooks discussed how the Cowboys should approach this year's draft and made it clear that star quarterback Dak Prescott needs to play a role in impacting the team's strategy.

Dallas Cowboys Must Win Now

Bucky Brooks: Cowboys have to TIE their draft picks to Dak Prescott’s window@WinStarWorld | @timeforjeffrey | #DallasCowboys | #NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/dt4UvTv5Nk
— DLLS Cowboys (@DLLS_Cowboys) April 14, 2026

Brooks understands that Prescott, who will be 33 years old when the season kicks off, is running out of time to be an elite player. His Super Bowl window is closing, so if the team wants to take advantage of having one of the league's top quarterbacks under center, they need to win now.

"When you're the Cowboys, you have to tie this to Dak Prescott. I think there's a three or four-year window where Dak Prescott's going to remain in his prime," Brooks said. "I don't have a lot of patience to wait for somebody. When you think about what they're doing, George Pickens on the franchise tag, CeeDee Lamb in the middle of a big deal. You don't have time to wait for two or three years for this guy to finally decide that, hey, I'm ready to be an elite pass rusher.

"The players that they take in this draft, they need to be ready to play because this division is open. They need right now players. They don't need wait-and-see players."

That is the right approach for Dallas to take. Last season, Prescott and the offense were playing at an elite level and were among the most dynamic units in the league. If Dallas can bring in players who can immediately contribute from Day 1, the team will be in position to contend in the division.

Kevin R. Wexler-NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

If Dallas can have the bounce-back year that the team is hoping for, a playoff berth is well within reach. Then, once the team returns to the postseason, you never know what can happen, but having players with big-game experience will definitely help them be ready for the fire.

The 2026 NFL Draft will be held in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, from Thursday, April 23, through Saturday, April 25.

This article first appeared on Dallas Cowboys on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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