With good reason, most of the focus that has come from the Dallas Cowboys‘ haul in the April draft has been on star safety Caleb Downs, who has been hailed as arguably the best player in that draft and one that many did not expect to fall into the Cowboys’ range. But there was, of course, another pick the Cowboys made, with the choice they’d gotten from the Packers (with a slight trade back) as part of the Micah Parsons package, and it was used on a player who hopes to replace Parsons to an extent: Malachi Lawrence, the edge rusher from Central Florida.
You know, the “other” Dallas first-rounder.
But Lawrence could be critical to the success of the Cowboys’ revamped defense in 2026, a guy who is expected to fill a key role at which the Cowboys do not have overwhelming depth. The Cowboys brought in Rashan Gary from the Packers and are hoping for a leap from second-year man Donovan Ezeiruaku, but will need ore fire power at edge rusher than that.
That’s where, the hope is, Lawrence can produce, even as a rookie. And the big question that has stuck with him has been: Will be be a Week 1 starter?
Malachi Lawrence ‘Impressed’ Cowboys Coach Brian Schottenheimer
Through an offseason that started with Cowboys rookie camp in May, went into OTAs in early June and just wrapped up with last week’s minicamp, Lawrence has been quietly impressing coaches. Again, Downs gets the headlines, but it would be an enormous boost for the Cowboys if Lawrence could produce right out of the gate.
Head coach Brian Schottenheimer, for one, likes what he sees so far–and not just in the pass rush.
As he said: “What I see from him from the power, when they’re hitting sleds, what I see from him, the size and the length when you’re doing just 1-in-1 pass-rush drills against dummies and things like that, the power that he can create with arm-overs and swats and things.
“I’ve been most pleasantly surprised, I think, by the instincts when he drops in coverage. They didn’t drop him much at UCF for the right reasons but I like the way he has tackled this offseason. He is another guy, the talent is real. I don’t remember him making a lot of mistakes, and that is a good thing.”
A Cowboys Week 1 Starter?
If Lawrence is showing that level of power, and doing so without mistakes, he could find his way into the Cowboys’ starting lineup before many expected. Gary will start at one edge, and it could come down to Lawrence or Ezeiruaku on the other. The Cowboys will use a wide rotation at that position, so it might not matter much who starts, but it would represent what the Cowboys think of Lawrence if he earns the spot.
The question has been debated on Dallas airwaves, and when Kurt Daniels of the team site was asked, he responded, “Lawrence indeed should be a starter in 2026 as well. In today’s NFL, teams don’t use that kind of draft capital on players they hope to develop. They are looking for studs who can make their presence known right away despite their lack of professional experience.”
Malachi Lawrence Mastering Playbook
And Lawrence has shown a knack for being a quick learner, picking up new defensive coordinator Christian Parker’s system quickly. Parker was one who advocated for drafting Lawrence.
He explained: “It’s been good with the playbook. I feel like I am a pretty fast learner. So that’s really been easy. It’s just, now when I get on the field and just do it, it sticks.
“First it starts with, looking at the play, knowing your job first. So, it starts with that. Writing down, taking notes really. If you take good notes, you will learn it, so when the coach asks you a question, you can reciprocate it back.”
Cowboys’ ‘Other’ 1st-Rounder Turning Heads as Big Question Looms