NFC East NFL Draft Preview, Part 1: What the Cowboys and Giants Need Most in the 2026 NFL Draft

The NFC East has one team still trying to win right now and another that finally has a direction. That difference makes this draft feel very different for the Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants.

Both teams have reasons to feel pressure heading into the 2026 NFL Draft. They just need very different things out of it.

Dallas Cowboys: This Draft Needs To Fix What Held Them Back

The Cowboys can talk about optimism all they want. The offense should still be one of the better units in the league. That part of the roster is not the problem.

The defense was.

Dallas missed the playoffs again last season, and it had far more to do with what was happening on that side of the ball than anything quarterback Dak Prescott and that offense were doing. Even internally, there is an understanding that fixing the defense is the priority coming out of this offseason.

That puts a lot of weight on this draft.

The Cowboys have two first-round picks at No. 12 and No. 20, and the way this roster is built, it is hard to see them using those picks anywhere but defense. Edge rusher, cornerback, and linebacker all make sense. Inside linebacker stands out as the biggest need. Reports suggest that the Cowboys explored ways to fix it before the draft but no big moves have been made yet.

At No. 12, the board lines up well for that approach. Rueben Bain Jr. (edge, Miami) is the type of pass rusher who could step in right away. Mansoor Delane (cornerback, LSU) or Avieon Terrell (cornerback, Clemson) would give them an immediate starter in the secondary. If they decide to get aggressive, a move up for someone like David Bailey (edge, Texas Tech) is at least on the table, even if it would be expensive.

At No. 20, the goal likely shifts to finding a second starter. Keldrick Faulk (defensive lineman, Auburn) fits the type of player who could rotate in immediately with upside to grow into more. If Dallas moves back, CJ Allen (linebacker, Georgia) or Jacob Rodriguez (linebacker, Texas Tech) would become much more realistic options to fill that hole in the middle of the defense.

There are other directions they could go. They could add to an already strong offense. They could chase a splash move. None of that really lines up with what this roster needs. That is usually where teams like this get tested. Not by whether they can land the flashy player everyone talks about, but by whether they can come away with someone who makes them more complete. A good Cowboys draft probably looks pretty boring. More stability, fewer weak spots, and less pressure on Prescott to carry the entire thing.

Dallas does not need to get creative here. It needs to get better on defense, quickly.

New York Giants: The Draft Looks Different When the Quarterback Is Settled

Everything about the Giants’ offseason feels different for one reason. Quarterback Jaxson Dart is in place.

That changes the entire conversation.

A year ago, the Giants were still searching for an answer at quarterback. Now they are building around one, and that opens up options that were not there before. General manager Joe Schoen has been clear about it. The focus is on taking advantage of the rookie quarterback window and stacking the roster around Dart while that flexibility exists.

You can already see it in how they’ve approached the roster.

They added Isaiah Likely at tight end. They’ve built out more depth at receiver. The offensive structure is being shaped with Dart in mind, not patched together week to week. That carries into the draft.

Holding the No. 5 pick puts them in a position to go in a few different directions, and the most interesting part is that they do not have to force anything. Schoen has said they are comfortable taking the best player available, and the roster is in a place where that actually feels believable.

That is where the Jeremiyah Love (running back, Notre Dame) conversation comes in.

A year ago, taking a running back that high probably would have felt like a mistake. Now, with a quarterback in place and more stability across the offense, it becomes a real discussion. Love is one of the most talented players in the class, and the Giants are in a position to consider him without it feeling like they are repeating old mistakes.

There are other directions that might make more traditional sense. Offensive line help, especially at guard, still stands out. Adding more protection in front of Dart would be a logical move, even if it is not the most exciting one. A trade down is also in play if the board does not fall the way they want.

This is a much healthier spot than the Giants have been in for a while. They are not walking into the draft still hunting for a quarterback or trying to fake certainty where there is none. Dart gives them a center point, and that gives the front office a real chance to make a smart pick instead of a desperate one.