The Dallas Cowboys are locked in a three-team draft competition for former Georgia Tech quarterback Haynes King, joining the Buffalo Bills and New England Patriots as suitors for the ACC’s most prolific passer heading into the 2026 NFL Draft. King confirmed the interest on March 13, telling Atlanta Sports reporter Miles Garrett that all three clubs had held formal meetings with him. Dallas enters that race despite projecting outward confidence in a quarterback room already anchored by Dak Prescott.
King’s candidacy carries real weight. He threw 65 touchdowns during his college career and earned the ACC’s top quarterback honor. That credential puts him squarely on the radar of depth-minded front offices across the league.
Dallas Cowboys Quarterback Depth Before the Draft
The Cowboys’ current depth chart lists Prescott as the unquestioned starter. Joe Milton III is slotted as the backup. Sam Howell occupies the third-string role. That three-man structure gives Dallas more quarterback coverage than most NFL rosters carry into a draft cycle.
Where would King fit? The numbers point toward a developmental asset rather than an immediate plug-in. A low-cost, high-ceiling flier that costs the organization little beyond draft capital and meeting time. His floor as a backup with genuine upside makes him a credible late-round target for multiple clubs.
King’s 65 touchdowns came across stints at Texas A&M and Georgia Tech. His top-of-conference recognition followed a season marked by better pocket management and sharper throw placement. Those traits translate more readily to NFL systems than raw arm talent alone. His college arc, defined by a sharp production spike after transferring to Georgia Tech, is exactly the narrative that resonates in pre-draft evaluation rooms.
Why Buffalo and New England Want King Too
Buffalo and New England each carry distinct needs at the position heading into April. The Bills, despite Josh Allen’s continued dominance, have historically valued developmental quarterbacks who can absorb their West Coast-influenced scheme. New England, rebuilding under head coach Jerod Mayo, faces a more urgent need after a difficult 2024 campaign.
King disclosed the competitive interest after attending both the Shrine Bowl and the NFL Scouting Combine. “I’ve talked to a handful, especially at the Shrine Bowl and the Combine,” King told Garrett on March 13. “Recently, meetings and stuff like that, it was the Bills, the Cowboys, and the Patriots”.
That disclosure matters. It narrows the publicly known suitor pool to a pair of AFC East franchises and the Dallas Cowboys, creating a tight bidding environment. King could go anywhere from the third round through undrafted free agency. The spread is wide. The interest, though, is real.
Dallas has a well-documented habit of drafting quarterbacks to develop behind established starters. That approach lets the front office maintain positional depth without absorbing the dead-money risk of a veteran backup contract. King, on a rookie four-year deal, would carry a fraction of the cap hit that a veteran like Howell commands on a restructured arrangement.
Key Developments in Dallas’s Draft Pursuit
King’s meetings with Dallas were reported March 23, 2026, through Atlanta Sports reporter Miles Garrett’s coverage of King’s pre-draft circuit.
Sam Howell, currently third on the depth chart, started for the Washington Commanders during the 2023 NFL season before moving on.
King’s background in spread-to-pro concepts at Georgia Tech makes him adaptable to multiple offensive frameworks at the next level.
New England’s inclusion adds an AFC East angle to a draft story that also touches the NFC East.
Joe Milton III, Dallas’s current backup, was signed as an undrafted free agent and has not thrown a regular-season pass in the NFL.
Roster Construction and Cap Math for Dallas
Dallas Cowboys general manager Jerry Jones has long treated the quarterback room as a layered investment. Prescott’s injury history — significant missed time in both 2020 and 2024 — makes the argument for a developmental third quarterback more compelling than a standard depth signing. Adding King would give offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer a fourth option in practice reps. It would also preserve cap flexibility Dallas needs to address the offensive line and edge rusher spots.
A fourth- or fifth-round selection carries a rookie cap number well under $1 million per year. That leaves Dallas room to maneuver on higher-priority extensions and free agent targets.
Dallas Cowboys front office brass can absorb King without displacing any current roster investment. That is a luxury the Patriots, in full rebuild mode, do not share. New England must weigh every pick against a broader need to upgrade multiple positions at once, which raises the cost of any quarterback selection beyond the first two rounds.
King’s pre-draft circuit confirms he has generated genuine organizational interest at the NFL level. Whether he lands in Dallas, Buffalo, or New England, crossing that threshold matters for any college passer entering the professional ranks. The Cowboys, with cap room and roster depth working in their favor, are well-positioned to pull the trigger on King if his stock holds through April.
Frequently Asked Questions
What round is Haynes King projected to be drafted in 2026?
King’s projection ranges from the third round through undrafted free agency, depending on private workouts and team sessions. His award-winning final season at Georgia Tech lifted his floor, but NFL clubs will weigh his experience in pro-style systems before committing a premium selection to a player who spent most of his college career in spread-heavy offenses.
Has Dak Prescott’s injury history changed how Dallas approaches quarterback depth?
Prescott missed most of the 2020 season with an ankle injury and lost games to a hamstring issue in 2024. Those absences pushed the Cowboys toward carrying quarterbacks with genuine developmental upside rather than simply rostering veteran clipboard holders on one-year minimum deals.
Where did Haynes King play college football before Georgia Tech?
King began his college career at Texas A&M, where he started games before entering the transfer portal. His move to Georgia Tech preceded his breakout season, during which he accumulated the bulk of his 65 career touchdown passes and earned the ACC’s top individual quarterback award.
How does the NFL rookie wage scale affect a late-round quarterback pick for Dallas?
Under the current collective bargaining agreement, fourth- and fifth-round picks sign four-year contracts with base salaries starting near the league minimum — typically under $1 million annually in the first two years. For Dallas, that structure means King would occupy minimal cap space while providing depth behind Prescott, Milton, and Howell across the full contract window.
Jake Whitmore is a small-town Texas reporter who worked his way up from covering Friday night high school football to the NFL. With over nine years in sports journalism, Jake writes like he is talking to fans at a tailgate -- direct, passionate, and full of the enthusiasm that makes football Sundays special. He covers game previews, roster moves, and the fan perspective on every major NFL storyline.
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