The Dallas Cowboys are currently preparing for the upcoming NFL Draft, which is slated to take place in just over two months. The Cowboys have several needs on their roster, and most of them lie on their defense, which was one of the worst units in the NFL throughout the 2025 season.
Recently, ESPN NFL insider Field Yates projected that the Cowboys would take linebacker Sonny Styles out of Ohio State with their number 12 overall pick in the first round.
“Styles, who started as a safety at Ohio State, fits the mold of a modern NFL linebacker with his sideline-to-sideline range and ability to drop into coverage,” noted Yates, who added that “…There are few 2026 prospects with as much versatility as Styles.”
The Cowboys also have another first round pick coming in the 2026 draft thanks to their trade of Micah Parsons to the Green Bay Packers before last season, and Fields mocked them to take edge rusher Keldric Faulk out of Auburn at number 20, noting that he “could help bolster a pass rush that tied for 22nd in total sacks this past season.”
Faulk had a disappointing 2025 season for the Tigers, recording just two sacks on the year after putting seven on the board in the previous season.
However, Fields pointed out that “his smooth movement skills, stout hands to set the edge in the running game and overall growth potential” could be enough to entice Dallas to take him at number 20.
It certainly seems to be the expectation that the Cowboys will use both of their first round picks on the defensive side of the ball and hope that Dak Prescott and the offense are able to keep up their torrid pace from 2025.
In any case, the first round of the NFL Draft is slated to get underway on April 23 from Pittsburgh.
The post The 2 defensive stars going to Cowboys in ESPN’s new mock draft appeared first on ClutchPoints.
