Entering the 2026 NFL Draft, many eyes were set on the Dallas Cowboys, who began the weekend with the 12th and 20th overall selections in the first round. Some thought the Cowboys might even move up the draft board to secure an elite talent in the top 10 selection.
The Cowboys eventually moved around, moving from 10 to 11 and still acquiring a top prospect in Ohio State safety Caleb Downs. The Cowboys also moved down with their second pick, trading up to the Philadelphia Eagles before selecting UCF edge rusher Malachi Lawrence with the 23rd overall pick.
Overall, many were happy with what the Cowboys did, adding an impact safety that could control the secondary, and giving a pass-rush group a boost that was desperately needed. Still, not everyone thought the Cowboys made the right decision.
In particular, former Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban called the Lawrence selection a "reach". Still, that was a hot-mic moment they probably didn't think could be heard on-air. But he was.
Later, when Saban was asked to provide his analysis while the cameras were on him, he strangely had a different opinion, calling Lawrence a "sleeper."
"Actually, this guy was one of my sleepers for yesterday," Saban said. "But he's a good player... This guy is a good player. I thought he was a guy that was going to be overlooked in the draft, but obviously the Cowboys didn't overlook him."
"It's a reach" 😬 pic.twitter.com/60zloMY8nq
- Awful Announcement (@awfulaannouncement) 24 April 2026
Lawrence was widely projected to be selected in the second round, although some analysts believed he had a chance to fall in the late first round. As we've seen, it just takes a team to fall in love with a prospect, and that's clearly what happened with Lawrence in Dallas.
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