The Dallas Cowboys disappointed during the 2025 NFL season. Dallas went 7-9-1 during the regular season during Brian Schottenheimer’s first year as head coach. Now the Cowboys need to have a strong offseason to set themselves up for success in 2026. Nailing the 2026 NFL Draft will be a big part of that plan.
ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. released a new mock draft on Wednesday now that most of the league is in the offseason. He has Dallas selecting Miami edge rusher Akheem Mesidor with the 20th overall pick.
“Miami lost in Monday’s national championship game, but did you watch Mesidor? He had two sacks, bringing his season total to 12.5. He has been around college football for a long time, playing at West Virginia in 2020 and 2021 before transferring to Miami. Mesidor has battled injuries, but his toolbox is full.”
The Cowboys end up finding a replacement for Micah Parsons with one of the draft picks they acquired in the trade.
“His bend, burst and power could help the Cowboys recapture some of the pass-rush juice they lost when they traded Micah Parsons in August.”
Meanwhile, the Cowboys also hold the 12th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Kiper had Dallas using that pick on linebacker Sonny Styles out of Ohio State.
“Dallas could really use an impact player in the middle of the defense,” Kiper noted. “Styles is a former safety, and it’s no surprise once you see his speed. He can close on ball carriers and pass catchers in a flash. With 174 tackles over the past two seasons, he’s a top-10 prospect for me.”
The Cowboys could certainly use some help on the defensive side of the ball. Dallas surrendered 30.1 points per game in 2025, which ranked last in the NFL. It was so bad that Dallas fired defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus.
The addition of both Styles and Mesidor could do wonders for Dallas’ defense.
It will be interesting to see who the Cowboys end up hiring as their new defensive coordinator. That should shed some light on which defensive players they will target this offseason.
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