Cowboys Have 2 First-Round Picks Again — History Says It Matters

First-round picks don’t come around in pairs very often for the Dallas Cowboys, so I started digging into the last few times it happened, and the results surprised me.

If you look into the history of Dallas Cowboys draft picks, you will find that the last time this happened, the Cowboys walked away with a Hall of Famer.

So, with the 2026 NFL Draft approaching quickly, I looked into the Cowboys draft history and how they faired when they went in with two First Round picks.

Something usually happened; the Cowboys walked away with two players who turned into major contributors.

The Last Time Dallas Had Two First-Round Picks

The last draft the Cowboys had two First-Rounders was in 2005.

I’m not sure if anyone remembers this draft, but the Cowboys walked away with two big-time players.

With the 11th pick in this draft, the Cowboys selected a player who became a cornerstone for the defense and a Hall of Fame player. That guy was none other than DeMarcus Ware.

At the time, DeMarcus Ware was viewed as a high-upside pass rusher out of Troy.

DeMarcus Ware finished his career 10th all-time in NFL sacks and was eventually inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

The 20th pick in that same draft, the Cowboys picked Marcus Spears. Spears didn’t become a superstar, but we all know he gave Dallas exactly what they needed from the first-round defensive lineman.

A reliable starter who helped anchor the defensive front and open up lanes for Ware.

If we look back on this draft, we can see the Cowboys got exactly what they needed.

One elite player and one long-term starter.

The Draft That Helped Build the Cowboys Dynasty

Let’s go further back in time to 1991 when the Cowboys again had two first-round picks.

This draft turned out to be pretty important to a few Super Bowls.

Dallas selected Russell Maryland with the first pick of the 1991 NFL Draft and followed that pick up with Alvin Harper at 12.

Russell Maryland became a major piece of the defensive line during the Cowboys’ Super Bowl runs in the 1990s.

Russell Maryland wasn’t the flashiest player on those Super Bowl teams, but he did the dirty work in the middle of the defense.

Alvin Harper, on the other hand, became the deep threat opposite Michael Irvin.

Do you all remember Harper’s 42-yard catch in the NFC Championship Game, the play that slammed the door on San Francisco and sent Dallas to the Super Bowl?

Moments like that sick with us fans forever.

Cowboys History With Two First-Round Picks

When we line up the drafts side-by-side, a pattern jumps out.

So yeah, when the Dallas Cowboys have two first-round picks, the odds seem to be pretty good that at least one of those players becomes a major piece of the team.

We have seen a couple of times when those drafted players become legends.

Why Picks 12 and 20 Are Interesting

This is why the 2026 NFL Draft has my attention.

We are picking twice again in the first-round.

Pick 12 is still in the area of the draft where elite prospects are sitting on the board. If history tells us anything, this is where teams have landed top offensive linemen, pass rushers, or shutdown corners.

Do any of those positions sound like areas of need for the Cowboys?

Pick 20 is where I think things get a little more unpredictable. This part of the draft is where talented players could slide if other teams go on a run for certain positions.

So, realistically, the Cowboys could walk away with:

• One immediate starter
• One high-ceiling playmaker

And if we get to see both o these picks hit, the roster suddenly looks completely different.