The Dallas Cowboys have two first-round picks, and there are many directions the team could go. With that in mind, here is the Cowboys’ 2026 NFL Mock Draft roundup with the pre-draft cycle ending.
Dallas enters the draft with major defensive needs. The Cowboys must find help at all three levels: cornerback, linebacker, and edge rusher. If they don’t improve the defense, they could waste another brilliant offensive season.
That’s what happened in 2025 when they went 7-9-1. Here’s a look at what the experts think the Cowboys should be when their turn at the podium comes around.
First, we’ll look at pick No. 12.
EDGE Rueben Bain Jr., Miami
Tim Crean, ClutchPoints; Bucky Brooks, NFL.com
This would be a dream-world scenario for the Cowboys. Imagine eight or more NFL teams making the exact same mistake. That’s what it would take for Bain to slide all the way to No. 12 and into the laps of Jerry Jones, Brian Schottenheimer, and company.
“The Cowboys sent the largest contingent of any team to the Miami Hurricanes’ pro day, and that wasn’t just to watch Keonte Scott run,” Crean wrote. “Jerry Jones has an inkling that Rueben Bain Jr. might fall to him, and the owner will be happy to snatch him up. Jones loves dogs in the trenches, and that’s what Bain is.
“Short arms or not, he is a disruptor upfront, and Jones is fine taking talent and letting his coaches figure out the best way to use them. He did it with Parsons in 2021, and he’ll do it again here.”
The Cowboys might actually have to trade up to get Bain. But don’t put it past them. Jones loves to wheel and deal.
CB Jermod McCoy, Tennessee
Mel Kiper Jr., ESPN; Field Yates, ESPN; Staff, Bleacher Report; Todd McShay, The Ringer; Daniel Jeremiah, NFL.com
If the Cowboys want McCoy, they will likely need to get him earlier as opposed to No. 20. That’s because McCoy looked great — and healthy — in his pro day, and actually moved ahead of Mansoor Delane (LSU) on some draft boards.
“(McCoy) can flat-out play when he’s on the field,” Kiper wrote.
CB Mansoor Delane, LSU
Charles Davis, NFL.com
“The Cowboys’ defensive makeover continues with the addition of the All-American corner from the Bayou,” Davis wrote.”
LB Sonny Styles, Ohio St.
Chad Reuter, NFL.com
“Not every NFL Scouting Combine star ends up being a top-10 selection,” Reuter wrote. “Just like when Micah Parsons fell to them at No. 12 in the 2021 NFL Draft, the Cowboys luck out again this year, landing a much-needed run defender who can play in the box and track down ball carriers in space.”
Pick No. 20 overall
CB Jermod McCoy, Tennessee
Keeping with the dream-world scenario, the Cowboys still get the guy they passed on at No. 12.
“After stealing Bain at 12, Jones can grab arguably the best corner in the draft, Jermod McCoy,” Crean wrote. “The DB is coming off an ACL tear, but if McCoy works his way back from the injury this season, he could quickly solve the issues at the back end of the Cowboys’ defense.”
LB CJ Allen, Georgia
Mel Kiper Jr., ESPN, Charles Davis, NFL.com
The Cowboys will almost surely double-dip on defense. That’s wise, Kiper said.
“Allen can play all three downs, as he can drop in coverage, run down ball carriers and even blitz,” Kiper wrote. “He had 97 tackles last season for the Bulldogs, showcasing tremendous read-and-react skills.”
CB Colton Hood, Tennessee
Bucky Brooks, NFL.com; Chad Reuter, NFL.com
“The Cowboys need more playmakers on the perimeter to improve a defense that struggled mightily in 2025,” Brooks wrote. “Hood’s instincts, awareness, and physicality would make him an ideal fit in the team’s new defensive scheme under Christian Parker.”
Brooks wrote that the Cowboys move to No. 29 and still get Hood: “Dallas acquires a second Day 2 pick and still lands a cornerback who displayed toughness in coverage and as a tackler, earning all-conference honors in his only season with the Vols.”
EDGE R Mason Thomas, Oklahoma
Field Yates, ESPN
“Thomas is my type of football player as an explosive, powerful, and relentless pass rusher,” Yates wrote. “Plus, he has heavy hands and a nasty attitude when defending the run.”
Safety Dillion Thieneman, Oregon
Staff, Bleacher Report
“Thieneman living on top of the defense can help round out every other piece of the defense to finally play complementary football,” Daniel Harms of Bleacher Report said. “While he played closer to the line of scrimmage at Oregon and gained experience as a robber, his best attributes are playing the post and hash.”
EDGE TJ Parker, Clemson
Todd McShay, The Ringer; Daniel Jeremiah, NFL.com
“Parker is a long-armed bulldozer off the edge,” McShay wrote. “Despite a dip in production, two things stood out on his 2025 tape. First, his pass rush toolbox improved from 2024. He showed more effective swipes, better timing, and a willingness to mix in spin moves. Second, his effort never wavered.”
Jeremiah added, “Parker is a polarizing player this year after his production dipped in 2025. But he had a strong finish to the season, and he followed that up with an impressive performance at the Senior Bowl.”
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