| Round | Overall |
|---|---|
| First round | No. 12 |
| First round | No. 20 |
| Third round | No. 92 |
| Fourth round | No. 112 |
| Fifth round | No. 152 |
| Fifth round | No. 177* |
| Fifth round | No. 180* |
| Seventh round | No. 218 |
| *Comp pick |
Dallas, TX
Closing community pools in Dallas will add to a long list of city’s neglect
Over the years, families in southern Dallas have consistently made sacrifices for the betterment of our city. Unfortunately, these sacrifices often arise not from choice, but from neglect. One prime example of this neglect is our community pools.
In early June, our West Oak Cliff neighbors received the disappointing news that the Martin Weiss pool would be closed this summer, a significant loss for the neighborhood. More than a mere amenity, for many of us, it served as a vital resource for underserved families.
Making matters worse, Dallas Park and Recreation staff just proposed permanently closing all nine community pools, the majority being below Interstate 30, citing “disrepair” and “lack of capital investment in decades.”
In response to the proposed closure of community pools in June, District 1 council member Chad West expressed his “disappointment” and the city offered “free swim sessions” for families in West Oak Cliff at the Kidd Springs aquatic center. While his gesture is appreciated, it underscores a disconnect with the needs of West’s working-class constituents, a recurring issue in city leadership.
As someone who frequently visited the community pool as a child, I understand the appeal of its proximity —it allowed us to walk there while our parents were at work. My cousins, sisters and I would bring a half-empty package of deli meat and a few slices of bread to make a “sandwich taco” for our time at the pool.
With little to do in the summer, a short walk to the pool was a welcome escape from the harsh realities of our circumstances. Ironically, West, a proponent of walkability, fails to recognize that reaching the Kidd Springs aquatic center from neighborhoods around Weiss Park would require a 90-minute walk, making it impractical for children, especially in the sweltering Texas heat.
The proposed closures of community pools and the “transportation strategy” to transport youth to the nearest aquatic center render the city’s equity efforts as empty words.
Instead of making meaningful investments in our communities, the city is repeating outdated, vaguely crafted and ultimately ineffective policies.
As an alternative, public/private partnerships sound enticing; however, I don’t think it’s a sustainable option, especially if the economy faces a downward turn.
If we continue to tell ourselves we are a world-class city, then we must provide basic services. The city just passed a bond for Park and Recreation totaling more than $345 million, and no one considered how the bond could address the majority of community pools? Not to mention the leftover funds from the 2017 bond. This city doesn’t have a money problem, it has a priority problem.
Places like Martin Weiss Park and other community pools have been neglected since my father’s childhood. This neglect is not coincidental. Public pools, once symbols of community investment and social cohesion, have faced budget cuts and closures after becoming integrated. Weiss pool, unchanged for over 70 years, exemplifies the unequal distribution of resources in our city.
Brown and Black families still face massive inequities as a result of years of community disinvestment, and the data supports this. For example, a 2017 study by the University of Memphis and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas revealed that 79% of children from households earning less than $50,000 annually have limited or no swimming skills.
But this goes beyond swimming lessons. Having a pool also shapes our community’s overall health. According to a National Institutes of Health study, residential location significantly influences health, opportunities and lifespan. Nearly 10 million children reside in neighborhoods with limited opportunities across 100 U.S. metropolitan areas.
A majority of African American (66%) and Hispanic (59%) children inhabit neighborhoods classified as very low or low opportunity, according to the same study. In contrast, most non-Hispanic white (66%) and Asian (62%) children reside in neighborhoods categorized as high or very high opportunity. In short, having resources increases society outcomes for our youth. These disparities underscore how racial and ethnic differences contribute to varying health outcomes and economic opportunities.
It’s clear that strong policy changes are desperately needed to address these disparities and ensure equal opportunities for everyone. I urge council member West, Park Board members and city staff to keep all of our community pools open and begin planning the construction of new pools in underserved communities.
Meaningful action is long overdue to address the generational neglect our community has faced. Afterall, the oppressive heat our youth endure shouldn’t be compounded by the incompetence of our city.
Giovanni Valderas is a West Oak Cliff resident and former candidate for the Dallas City Council.
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Dallas, TX
A look at Dallas Cowboys’ 2026 NFL draft picks after Osa Odighizuwa, Solomon Thomas trades
Entering Wednesday, the Cowboys had seven selections in the upcoming draft and no Day 2 picks going into the first day of the NFL League Year.
By the end of the business day, the Cowboys gained an extra draft pick — and it will be on Day 2.
Dallas traded defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa to San Francisco for a third-round pick, No. 92 overall. The team also traded defensive tackle Solomon Thomas to the Tennessee Titans and swapped seventh-round selections, moving from No. 225 to No. 218.
Dallas now has eight draft picks, three in the Top 100 and two fifth-round selections that are compensatory.
The biggest thing was getting a Day 2 pick.
The Cowboys originally had picks No. 12 and No. 20 in the first round and wouldn’t pick again until No. 112 in the fourth round.
Dallas gave up Day 2 picks (second and third rounds) in trades for Quinnen Williams (New York Jets) and George Pickens (Pittsburgh Steelers) last year.
Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones was determined to get back into the second or third rounds and moving Odighizuwa, a 2021 third-round selection, to the 49ers to get back into the second day of the draft has proven vital.
In recent years, the Cowboys have struggled to get good value with their second-round picks.
Taking a gamble on players coming off injury or with troubled backgrounds was something the Cowboys wanted to do in the second round.
Jones said at the NFL scouting combine that the team was no longer planning on doing that, considering the issues the defense had last season.
The third round has proved a little more successful. Cooper Beebe (2023) is a starting center and DeMarvion Overshown (2023) at linebacker is a reliable performer. Injuries, however, have slowed Overshown’s development in his brief time in the NFL.
Dallas is hopeful last year’s Day 2 picks, Donovan Ezeiruaku (second round) and Shavon Revel (third round), emerge as starters in 2026.
Revel recovered from knee surgery and played in seven games. Ezeiruaku played 17 games with nine starts at defensive end. Ezeiruaku, who underwent offseason hip surgery, will move to outside linebacker in the new 3-4 defensive scheme.
Also, the Cowboys have the ability to use one of their two first-round picks to move up in the draft or package the third-rounder acquired in the Odighizuwa trade to gain more picks.
Cowboys 2026 draft picks
Find more Cowboys coverage from The Dallas Morning News here.
The Dallas Cowboys were initially in the mix for Las Vegas Raiders superstar pass rusher Maxx Crosby ahead of NFL free agency, and were believed to be one of the finalists in trade talks. However, he was ultimately traded to the Baltimore Ravens for two first-round picks.
Now, the NFL world has been turned on its head with the Ravens deciding to pull out of the trade agreement with Las Vegas.
On Tuesday night, NFL insider Adam Schefter was among the experts discussing what went wrong between the Raiders and Ravens, revealing that Cowboys team physician Dr. Daniel Cooper, one of the premier knee specialists, played a role in the Ravens’ evaluation of Crosby.
Schefter discussed how Dr. Cooper was among the doctors who reviewed scans on Crosby’s knee, which ultimately spooked the Ravens and triggered the end of the deal.
“The Baltimore Ravens essentially failed him on their physical, and my understanding is there were multiple doctors that reviewed his MRI scans,” Schefter said. “There were doctors that examined him, including Dr. Daniel Cooper, the Dallas Cowboys doctor that performed surgery on Patrick Mahomes and Malik Nabers.
“Many teams and players rely on Dr. Cooper’s expertise, and Dr. Cooper was one of the doctors who reviewed the images where the Ravens then felt compelled to back out of this trade.”
It’s hard not to connect the dots that Dr. Cooper’s involvement in the medical review of Crosby led to the team deciding against re-engaging in trade discussions. Though that could change, currently, the Cowboys are expected to move forward with Pro Bowl EDGE Rashan Gary, who the team agreed to acquire from the Green Bay Packers for a 2027 fourth-round pick on the first day of legal tampering.
It will be interesting to continue monitoring the situation and its fallout, which has left the Raiders in a terrible position.
But, with the Raiders now forced to re-examine the money they committed to free agents on Wednesday evening, they may have to pull out of one of their own agreements, which could open the door for the Cowboys to reopen their pursuit of a linebacker like Nakobe Dean or Quay Walker.
The 2026 NFL calendar year officially begins on Wednesday, March 11, at 4:00 p.m. ET, so get your popcorn ready, because it’s going to be a wild ride.
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Dallas Cowboys Nation’s hopes of landing superstar pass rusher Maxx Crosby were dashed last weekend when it was announced that he was being traded to the Baltimore Ravens. However, less than 24 hours before the new year, the trade has fallen apart.
On Tuesday night, the Las Vegas Raiders announced that the Ravens have backed out of the trade.
“The Baltimore Ravens have backed out of our trade agreement for Maxx Crosby,” the statement read. “We will have no further comment at this time.”
The news sends a major ripple for the league, with the Crosby sweepstakes once again open. Before his trade to the Ravens, the Cowboys were considered one of the teams closely monitoring the situation and a team that made a legitimate offer for Crosby.
At this time, there is no word on why the trade between Las Vegas and Baltimore fell through. When the trade was first reported, the Raiders were set to receive a 2026 and 2027 first-round pick from the Ravens.
Now, his future is in limbo. Before he was traded to the Ravens, it was believed that the Cowboys, Chicago Bears, and Los Angeles Rams were the top candidates to land him. In fact, the Cowboys were “considered runner-ups” in the sweepstakes.
Dallas’ Original Trade Offer
According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the Cowboys initially offered the No. 12 overall pick in the 2026 draft, a 2027 second-round pick, and an unnamed veteran player.
“Dallas kept a hard line throughout. The franchise wasn’t willing to part with two first-round picks, hoping its 12th pick in April’s draft, plus a future second-rounder, would be enough to entice Las Vegas. Dallas was also willing to package a veteran player to sweeten the deal, but Vegas wasn’t interested in that. The Raiders prioritized picks,” Fowler wrote.
Last season, Crosby recorded 73 total tackles, 28 tackles for a loss, 20 quarterback hits, 10 sacks, two forced fumbles, and an interception.
We’ll have to see if Dallas ends up being his new home, now that the team has a second chance to make something special happen, but there will be some serious competition. The 2026 NFL calendar year officially begins on Wednesday, March 11, at 4:00 p.m. ET.
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