The best ability is availability and in the 2026 NFL draft, that means durability is a key trait. The value of availability is a lesson the Dallas Cowboys know all too well. 2025 was a season marred with injury, with multiple starters and numerous key contributors missing significant portions of the season.
Top defensive backs DaRon Bland, Trevon Diggs, Malik Hooker and Shevon Revel all missed at least five games each. DeMarvion Overshown was limited to just seven games at linebacker while Kenny Clark and Osa Odighizuwa were the only two defensive linemen to make more than 11 starts for Dallas.
On offense, top receiver CeeDee Lamb missed three games, left tackle Tyler Guyton missed seven games, center Cooper Beebe missed six games and left guard Tyler Booker missed three games. Dak Prescott, Javonte Williams and George Pickens remained healthy which kept the offense afloat, but the other injuries were felt significantly. It’s clear injuries took their toll on the Cowboys’ season and it’s clear avoiding a repeat of that is a top objective in 2026.
It should be no surprise, Dallas’ top free agent signing, safety Jalen Thompson, has played in 15 or more games in six of his seven NFL seasons. Thompson isn’t just a skilled player and a versatile weapon but he’s also durable and someone to be relied on.
As the Cowboys turn their attention to the 2026 NFL draft, they’ll likely continue that focus on durability. Talent is great but if talent can’t stay on the field, it doesn’t do a team much good. That’s why finding talented players who have proven durable is a great way to whittle down the list of potential draft candidates.
Durability favors players such as Sonny Styles, C.J. Allen and Anthony Hill most all. Despite playing one of the most physical positions on the field, these three linebackers have proven to be ultra durable. The same cannot be said for DE Akheen Mesidor, CB Jermod McCoy and DB Treydan Stukes who averaged well under 11 games per season.
Oftentimes teams can get infatuated with skillsets and ceilings and lose sight of reliability and floors. The Cowboys need to pay extra attention to durability this draft cycle because they aren’t good enough on defense to have starters sidelined to injury all year. It’s all hands on deck for Dallas and that goes for all the injured players from 2025 as well as the incoming rookies in 2026.
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This article originally appeared on Cowboys Wire: IronMan: Cowboys look for key trait in draft to avenge past misses
Reporting by Reid D Hanson, Cowboys Wire / Cowboys Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
