FRISCO, Texas (AP) — The Dallas Cowboys acquired linebacker Dee Winters in a trade with San Francisco on Friday night, sending the 49ers a fifth-round pick in this weekend's NFL draft.
The Cowboys acknowledged linebacker remained a glaring need after taking Ohio State safety Caleb Downs and UCF edge rusher Malachi Lawrence with their two first-round picks on the opening night of the draft.
Executive vice president of personnel Stephen Jones said acquiring a veteran would be among the options Dallas considered as it revamps one of the league's worst defenses from 2025.
Winters, a 2023 sixth-round pick going into his fourth season, became expendable after the 49ers brought back Dre Greenlaw in free agency.
The 49ers add the 152nd overall pick, which leaves the Cowboys without a fifth-round choice. Dallas traded its other two fifth-rounders to Miami to move up one spot in the first round and draft Downs at No. 11. The Cowboys added two fourth-round choices while moving three spots down to 23 and selecting Lawrence.
It's the second trade of the offseason between the longtime rivals, both deals involving expendable defensive players.
The Cowboys sent defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa to San Francisco for a third-round pick in March. Odighizuwa was part of a logjam with Quinnen Williams and Kenny Clark in the interior of the Dallas defensive front.
The pick Dallas acquired in the Odighizuwa trade, at 92nd overall, was the only one the Cowboys had on the second day of the draft Friday night. After the latest deal with the 49ers, Dallas had three fourth-round picks and a seventh-rounder on the final day Saturday.
The 49ers opened the second day of the draft by selecting Ole Miss receiver De’Zhaun Stribling at 33rd overall to start the second round. It was San Francisco's first pick of this draft and one of eight the 49ers were set to have over the final two days.
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FILE - San Francisco 49ers linebacker Dee Winters (53) defends during an NFL football game against the Seattle Seahawks, Jan. 3, 2026, in Santa Clara, Calif. (AP Photo/Scot Tucker, File)
Dallas Cowboys fans cheer during the first round of the NFL football draft, Thursday, April 23, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Kayden McDonald and Colton Hood spent three long hours in the green room inside Acrisure Stadium on Thursday night all dressed up with nowhere to go.
The players remained backstage while the 15 other NFL draft prospects in attendance made their way to the stage to hug NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell after being selected in the first round.
McDonald and Hood's time would have to wait until Friday, though not for very long.
The Houston Texans selected McDonald, the burly 6-foot-3, 326-pound defensive tackle from Ohio State with the fourth pick of the second round. Hood, a cornerback from Tennessee, went to the New York Giants with the next selection.
McDonald chose to return to the green room on Friday, though this time he had traded the suit he had on Thursday while walking the red carpet for a far more casual fit. Wearing a black short-sleeved button down shirt, a white T-shirt and a chain, McDonald was visibly shaken as he made the slightly delayed talk toward Goodell.
The commissioner and McDonald embraced for a long moment, the tears streaking down McDonald's face hard to miss.
“It’s emotional man,” McDonald said. “I knew I’m supposed to be here. I’m just so blessed.”
McDonald added he's blessed to join the Texans, who finished last season with the NFL's top-ranked defense and bludgeoned the Pittsburgh Steelers in the opening round of the playoffs.
Asked what he can add to a unit that's already among the league's best, McDonald didn't hesitate.
“Disruptive, making it easier for the (defensive) end,” McDonald said. “We all go to work.”
While McDonald stuck around, Hood did not, opting to head home to Atlanta instead, where Hood said he felt more comfortable because he could be surrounded by even more friends and family.
When Hood's name was called by Goodell, who had former Giants star defensive end Osi Umenyiora at his side, the videoboard behind them merely flashed a picture of Hood wearing Tennessee orange.
“Way to go Colton,” Goodell said before retreating backstage before the next selection.
The distance between the epicenter of the NFL universe this weekend and Atlanta did little to dampen the joy Hood felt when a lifelong dream was realized.
While sitting around on Thursday was disappointing, Hood doesn't view having to wait an additional 24 hours as a bad thing.
“I know God does everything for a reason,” he said. "He was probably preventing me from something, or he has something better in store for me and that being the Giants.”
Hood admitted he was a little surprised he heard from New York. Maybe he shouldn't have been. First-year Giants coach John Harbaugh coached Hood's uncle, former NFL defensive back Roderick Hood, when both were in Philadelphia in the early 2000s.
If anything, what happened on Thursday night just added a significantly large chip to Hood's shoulder.
Asked if the perceived first-round snub is motivation, Hood said "for sure, but I’d say it’s more just wanting to prove the Giants right and just thanking them for taking the chance on me.”
AP Sports Writer Stephen Whyno contributed to this report.
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Ohio State defensive lineman Kayden McDonald puts on a hat after being chosen by the Houston Texans with the 36th overall pick during the second round of the NFL football draft, Friday, April 24, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
Ohio State defensive lineman Kayden McDonald reacts after being chosen by the Houston Texans with the 36th overall pick during the second round of the NFL football draft, Friday, April 24, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
Ohio State defensive lineman Kayden McDonald puts on a hat after being chosen by the Houston Texans with the 36th overall pick during the second round of the NFL football draft, Friday, April 24, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
Ohio State defensive lineman Kayden McDonald, right, reacts with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell after being chosen by the Houston Texans with the 36th overall pick during the second round of the NFL football draft, Friday, April 24, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
