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Dallas Cowboys rookie LT Overton

If the Dallas Cowboys‘ sum total of fourth-round picks in franchise history had come down only to Dak Prescott, you’d still have to give that round credit for being touched with a bit of magic. But the fact is, the Cowboys have had plenty of fourth-round luck beyond Prescott–a pair of star tight ends, Dalton Schultz and Jake Ferguson came in the fourth round, as did Pro Bowl running back Tony Pollard and starting center Tyler Biadasz. Deeper back in history, too, it’s an impressive list, including offensive linemen John Fitzgerald, Pat Donovan and Tom Rafferty, plus defensive end Tony Tolbert and running back Marion Barber.

So there are some expectations on the trio of draftees from the fourth round in the 2026 draft, even as the spotlight has landed clearly on No. 11 overall pick Caleb Downs. He should eventually begin to share that spotlight as some of his classmates prove their worth. And one who could find himself on the field a lot to open the season is a bit of a surprise: defensive lineman LT Overton, one of the team’s fourth-rounders.

LT Overton Tabbed as Potential Starter

Overton is a unique case, a tweener end who is not quite an edge rusher and not quite a tackle. But he is talented and plays with the kind of intensity and consistency the Cowboys are looking for. New defensive coordinator Christian Parker has vowed to be more creative with his personnel, and a player like Overton, whose strength and power stand out after he logged 4.0 sacks in 2025, with 6.0 tackles for a loss at Alabama, is a good example. .

Fort Worth Star-Telegram reporter Nick Harris was asked which incoming draftee, after Downs, was most likely to be a starter this year. Harris picked Overton.

He wrote: “I think Downs is obviously a shoo-in to start. Malachi Lawrence will probably be a rotational pass rusher in year one. Barham could contend for a starting role, but I think he will also see some rotation. Oddly enough, I think the likeliest starter behind Downs in the rookie class is fourth-round pick LT Overton. He can play that 4i/5-tech role on early downs that I think would be of better service than Jonathan Bullard or Otito Ogbonnia. So, give me two.”

Cowboys Christian Parker Will Get Creative

Now, it will be an open competition to see who starts alongside the settled spots inside, Quinnen Williams and Kenny Clark. Bullard and Ogbonnia probably have about the same odds of winning the job going into OTAs. But Parker clearly wants to use Overton at least in rotation on the line.

Parker was asked about Overton and how the team envisioned using him–the fact that he is not explosive enough to be an NFL edge is one reason he slipped to the fourth round. But Parker said that is not the plan for him, anyway.

“We see him as a defensive tackle,” Parker said. “We know he can play on the edge some, that’s what he did at Alabama. We’ve seen him play over tackles and tight ends, and play more vertical. Marcus [Dixon] has a good plan for him, whether it’s playing the 3[-tech], the 5[-tech], playing some 4i, but we really see a versatile player.

“He plays a violent style, he uses his hands well, he plays with a power base.”