Patrik Walker
FRISCO, TexasWith every passing day, the 2026 NFL Draft draws near with all of its rightful pomp and circumstance, as the Dallas Cowboys and 31 other teams look to change their future by making the right pick when they go on the clock in Day 1 and beyond.
That's something Tony Dorsett knows a little something about. The iconic former running back that also shares the NFL record for longest touchdown run ever (99 yards) was once the second-overall pick of the Cowboys, in 1977, out of Pitt, and the story of how that all went down is something for the ages just ask Dorsett about his conversation with the late, great Gil Brandt that wound up being nothing short of providence.
And, in 2026, the Hall of Famer will bless someone from the upcoming generation with the announcement that they're the Cowboys' first-round pick, and it of course means that much more when considering the draft is being held in Pittsburgh.
Last year's announcement was awarded to former Cowboys' Pro Bowl center Travis Frederick, calling former Alabama offensive guard Tyler Booker to the stage for Dallas. That was purely coincidence though, as far as position groups go, so don't plan on Dorsett announcing a running back as one of the Cowboys' two first-round picks this time around.
The burning question is will Dorsett attempt to equal or surpass Drew Pearson's legendary speech in 2017 that went viral? Others from around the league have attempted to do so, but they've all fallen short of their goal, leaving Pearson as the de facto microphone master when it comes to announcing a draft pick.
Regardless of how Dorsett chooses to approach the task, he's already a titan in NFL and Cowboys' lore and his willingness to be an ambassador to those coming into the organization over the years hasn't been lost on anyone a key reason he was asked to take the stage this time around, and in a city that witnessed his pre-NFL career that also landed him in the College Football Hall of Fame.
Dorsett will be the man of the hour on Day 1, and few are more worthy.
