Can I recover or re cast a dropped cast on stitch from the long tail cast on?

I started knitting a hat in the round on double pointed needles and I accidentally dropped the first cast on stitch! I’m hoping there is a way this might be recovered without having to “frog it” and start over. If anyone knows a way this could be accomplished it would be very much appreciated!

To be more specific, I used the long tail cast on method to cast on 72 stitches. I divided the stitches between my three needles and (I think I’m using this terminology correctly) joined the round, starting my k1 p1 rib pattern. I worked 71 stitches in the k1 p1 rib until I got to stitch 72 (or 1, depending on how you look at it) and was about to purl it when, oops, it slipped off the end of my needle! Now I have a straight piece of yarn/gap and a ‘long tail’ where my last stitch should have been and I’m one stitch short. I’m wondering is there is a way to sort of re-cast on this stitch or is it a better idea to just rip it and start again.

Thanks for your help!

Loop the ‘tail’ around your thumb to make the loop on the needle, and use the other strand to ‘knit’ around the needle then slip the thumb loop off it.