The NFL Draft may feel like it happened a decade ago, but the results from our Cowboys fan predictions are still fresh—and honestly, a little humbling.
In the week leading up to the 2026 NFL Draft, we challenged our readers to submit a list of up to 30 players they thought the Cowboys would select or sign as undrafted free agents. Each correct guess—whether a draft pick or a UDFA signing—earned one point. Simple enough, right?
Here’s the kicker: If you had just copied the pre-draft visitor list, you’d have nailed the first two picks—Caleb Downs and Malachi Lawrence—and discovered later that Jaishawn Barham was also on that list. Plus, UDFA Tommy Dunn was a Dallas Day visitor. The visit tracker alone gave you a solid head start.
But none of our participants settled for the easy route. So, did anyone out-predict the visit tracker?
We started with predictions from three of our front-page writers: Brian Martin, Danny Phantom, and OCC. None of them beat the visit tracker, but Brian Martin came closest with three correct picks—Caleb Downs, Malachi Lawrence, and UDFA tight end Michael Trigg.
Joseph Hoyt of the Dallas Morning News also joined the fun as an honorable participant, submitting his list of 30 prospects that made sense for the Cowboys. He landed two correct picks—Caleb Downs and UDFA wide receiver Jordan Hudson—but still fell short of the visitor list benchmark.
Ten BTB members participated in our challenge, and every single one got at least one pick right. But before we dive into individual scores, let’s look at the hit rates for each rookie. It’s a mixed bag this year, with the Cowboys Cognoscenti posting middling results compared to past contests. On the bright side, we achieved a 100% hit rate on Caleb Downs—a first in the history of our little prediction game.
For context, here’s how we’ve fared in recent years: In 2023, DeMarvion Overshown was predicted by 64% of participants, and Luke Schoonmaker by 48%. This year’s numbers aren’t quite as impressive, but hey, the draft is over, and to the winners go the spoils.