Cowboys seven-round mock draft: Dallas goes all in on defense in push for postseason return
The Cowboys' defense was one of the worst in franchise history last season
The Dallas Cowboys' 7-9-1 record in 2025 came to be because of an explosive offense and the NFL's worst defense.
Quarterback Dak Prescott profiled as the NFL's third-leading passer with 4,552 yards through the air. Wide receiver George Pickens ranked third in the league in receiving yards (1,429). Running back Javonte Williams ranked ninth in the league in rushing yards (1,201). Wide receiver CeeDee Lamb ranked 11th in the league in receiving yards (1,077) even though he missed three games with an ankle injury.
None of that mattered with Dallas surrendering an NFL-worst 30.1 points per game. That scoring defense figure stands as the second-most points per game allowed in the 66-season history of the Cowboys. Only Dallas' inaugural 1960 team -- the one that went 0-11-1 -- was worse.
"Being in a year where I can't say [for] probably one of the first times that my play directly... correlated to the record or making the playoffs, it's been tough," Prescott said on Jan. 1. "It just goes back to me just as a leader trying to figure out ways to influence other guys in the locker room, not just on offense but on defense. Influence everything from the way that they approach the game, the way that they treat life at home and just letting them know how important all that is. It goes hand in hand when you're trying to be the best player on the field."
Safe to say it will be a defense-heavy 2026 NFL Draft for Dallas. With that in mind, let's conduct a seven-round mock draft for the Cowboys. Here we provide a full seven-round mock draft after using Pro Football Focus' mock draft simulator to project a number of different outcomes.
NOTE: These projections assume the Cowboys and Pickens come to terms on a multi-year contract extension sometime before the season starts.
Cowboys 2026 NFL Draft picks
- Round 1: Pick 12
- Round 1: Pick 20 (via Packers)
- Round 3: Pick 92 (via 49ers)
- Round 4: Pick 112
- Round 5: Pick 152
- Round 5: Pick 177
- Round 5: Pick 180
- Round 7: Pick 218 (via Titans)
The 2026 NFL Draft will take place April 23-25 in Pittsburgh. You can find more draft coverage at CBSSports.com, including weekly mock drafts and regular evaluations of the top prospects.
Cowboys seven-round mock draft
Round 1, Pick 12
Dallas addressed its edge rusher need with the trade for Rashan Gary, but cornerback remains a long-term issue despite all the one-year deals handed out this offseason. DaRon Bland continues to work through nagging foot injuries, and Trevon Diggs is a relic of the past. Cowboys fans may have some concern about another corner coming off a torn ACL after seeing Shavon Revel go in the 2025 draft's third round. McCoy missed the 2025 season with a torn ACL, but he was fantastic in 2024, earning first-team All-SEC honors with four interceptions and nine passes defensed.
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From
Green Bay Packers
Round 1 Pick 20
New defensive coordinator Christian Parker enjoyed coaching former Georgia linebacker Nakobe Dean within his Eagles defense. Now he gets another high-IQ Georgia linebacker in CJ Allen. At the combine, Allen said the Bulldogs let him call the majority of the defense. That's exactly what Parker desires in his middle linebacker.
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From
San Francisco 49ers
Round 3, Pick 92
Keyron Crawford might be the 2026 NFL Draft's biggest mystery box at the edge rusher position. Crawford didn't begin playing football until his senior year of high school, and he didn't become a full-time starter at Auburn until his senior year. However, his 43 quarterback pressures in 2025 ranked as the seventh-most in the entire SEC per TruMedia. Crawford's explosive first step and bend are a lot of fun, but he needs plenty of refinement in the run game. This pick is a big bet on new defensive coordinator Christian Parker and his staff.
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Round 4, Pick 112
No one has more interceptions in all of college football since 2022 than TCU safety Bud Clark's 15. He possesses plenty of versatility in coverage to cover plenty of ground in zone or to man up on pass catchers lining up in the slot. Following the free agency signing of Jalen Thompson, Clark wouldn't be an instant starter in Dallas, but he could be a high-level rotational piece because of his ball skills. Plus, the former Horned Frog could push Malik Hooker at free safety.
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Round 5, Pick 152
Le'Veon Moss has the build of an NFL early-down ball carrier, and he isn't afraid of contact. He's also reliable in pass protection. Moss is a steady backup who could be capable of shouldering a bigger load of carries. There are some injury concerns, but he did tie for the A&M team lead in rushing touchdowns with six despite only playing in seven games in 2025. Moss could be a nice No. 2 behind Javonte Williams.
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Round 5, Pick 177
Jeff Caldwell is oozing with potential after putting together arguably the best combine performance of any wide receiver. Caldwell showcased a 4.31 40-yard dash time, a 42-inch vertical jump and an 11-foot-2-inch broad jump while measuring in at 6-foot-5 and 216 pounds. Caldwell is a serious vertical threat who can blow by anybody on a go route, and he comes with a wide catch radius. However, his route running, outside of going deep and crossing routes, needs plenty of work. He could be a diamond in the rough after learning from CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens.
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Round 5, Pick 180
Durant is slightly undersized at 6-foot-1, 290 pounds, but his first-step explosion is a sight to see. It helped him produce a 4.75 40-yard dash time, the best among defensive tackles. Durant's technique could use refinement, but his strengths could be accentuated in Christian Parker's scheme.
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From
Tennessee Titans
Round 7, Pick 218
Jack Kelly is a menace as a blitzing, third down linebacker as evidenced by his 15 sacks the last two years at BYU, including 10.0 in 2025. His combine testing (4.57 40-yard dash, 37-inch broad jump, 10-feet-five-inch broad jump) and winning practice player of the week at the Senior Bowl indicate he can hang with NFL competition. However, there's a lot of work for him to do to clean up his play when defending against the run. Kelly could be a strong, early contributor on special teams and then work his way into playing on third downs.
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