The Dallas Cowboys pre-draft visitor that could spark a lot of controversy in Day 2 of the 2026 NFL Draft

The Dallas Cowboys need a lot of defense in the 2026 NFL Draft, but this tight end would make a lot of sense in Day 2 if the front office ends up trading down.

Mauricio Rodriguez, Ryan Roberts
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Vanderbilt tight end Emmanuel Adebi, left. and tight end Eli Stowers, right, run drills during football pro day at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn., Friday, March 20, 2026.
Vanderbilt tight end Emmanuel Adebi, left. and tight end Eli Stowers, right, run drills during football pro day at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn., Friday, March 20, 2026. ANDREW NELLES / THE TENNESSEAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

If you take a look at the list of Dallas Cowboys’ pre-draft visitors, you will mostly find defensive prospects. That checks out.

In 2025, the Cowboys had a Top 7 scoring offense but the worst scoring defense in the NFL. Picking defense makes sense, especially after a relatively quiet free agency so far—Dallas ranks 25th in free agency spending so far, per Over the Cap.

And yet, the Cowboys could very well add offense. They’re known to love picking first-round offensive linemen and there’s more than one wide receiver who could tempt them at No. 12 and No. 20 overall.

But it’s another offensive prospect that caught my eye among their pre-draft visitors, and he’s one that could cause some controversy.

Cowboys host a TE projected to go in the second round

According to multiple reports, the Cowboys hosted Vanderbilt TE Eli Stowers on a pre-draft visit.

When I say Stowers could be a controversial target for the Cowboys, it’s because the team just signed Jake Ferguson to a four-year contract extension worth $52 million. In addition, Dallas has solid depth behind him in Brevyn Spann-Ford and former second-round pick Luke Schoonmaker. Can they afford to use a Day 2 pick in another tight end?

Keep in mind, Stowers is projected to be a second-round pick, which means the Cowboys would only be likely to take him if they trade down come the draft.

Stowers is looked at as a Day 2 prospect. According to the consensus board from our A to Z Sports draft simulator, Stowers is the 56th best prospect in the class and the second-best tight end.

As for Stowers’ play, there’s a lot to like. He’s a big-sized TE with a quarterback background that put together very productive seasons at the SEC level. In 2024 and 2025, he racked up 1,407 receiving yards and nine touchdowns, per Sports Reference.

What’s even more interesting about Stowers is that NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported “several teams are evaluating him as a WR.”

I reached out to our own draft expert Ryan Roberts for more insight on his style of play, and it checks out with what Rapoport is reporting.

Eli Stowers as a WR, why?

Roberts: “Eli Stowers was originally a four-star quarterback recruit for Texas A&M. After spending two seasons in College Station, he opted to transfer to New Mexico State. Stowers lost that new quarterback competition to Diego Pavia, which ended up being a blessing in disguise. He made the transition to tight end, where he’s been one of the best in college football during his final two seasons.

“Stowers is a pure F tight end who is going to be used a ton on the move and in the slot. From that alignment, Stowers has tremendous explosiveness and upside in the passing game. With almost no upside as a blocker, Stowers is eerily similar to Evan Engram. His game presents huge upside for a passing offense that wants to utilize him as a mismatch weapon on linebackers, safeties, and slot defenders.”

It will be tough for the Cowboys to fix the defense with a pick like Stowers in Day 2, but if it comes to that, he sounds like yet another dangerous target for QB Dak Prescott. Especially if Dallas trades down, keep an eye out on his availability come the second round of the draft.

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