Cowboys 7-Round Mock Draft: How Dallas Can Be a Title Contender Again

The Dallas Cowboys' draft strategy isn’t much of a secret, or at least it shouldn’t be. They had one of the very best offenses in the NFL last season and a defense that was dead last in points allowed. So yeah, they need to draft defensive players. Lots of them. As many as they can. In fact, every time they’re about to draft an offensive player, someone in their room should ask, "Isn’t there a defensive player we can take instead?" Plugging that big, black hole has to be their priority next week. It’s also their only path back to title contention. So with that in mind, here’s a seven-round mock of how their draft should go, with a focus on … well, you get the idea. RELATED: 2026 NFL Draft Big Board: The Top 150 Overall Prospects Round 1 (No. 12 overall): CB Jermod McCoy, Tennessee The Cowboys’ pass defense was ranked 31st last season, and their coverage was as bad as their pass rush. DaRon Bland hasn’t lived up to the promise he showed in 2023 as an All-Pro corner with nine interceptions (he has one pick in 19 games since). And he’s the only one with a lock on a starting spot in the secondary. So assuming the top edge rushers are gone (which will be the case, unless Rueben Bain starts to fall), drafting the 6-1, 188-pound McCoy is a no-brainer. Yes, he missed all of last season with a torn ACL, but he had four picks as a sophomore the year before and NFL teams seem convinced that he’s fully healthy. He may need some patience as he continues his recovery, but he’s the ball-hawk with top coverage skills that the Dallas defense desperately needs. Round 1 (No. 20): Edge Akheem Mesidor, Miami The Cowboys have been searching for anyone who can rush the pass rusher since they traded away Micah Parsons, and the situation is even more dire since they chose not to re-sign Jadaveon Clowney (8.5 sacks). Their trade for Rashan Gary helps, but he’s one man (and an inconsistent one). And with two first-round picks, they better come out with at least one player off the edge. Mesidor is a 6-3, 259-yard pass-rush machine who had 12.5 sacks for the Hurricanes last season and 26 in his three years and three games in Miami. He has shown an ability to rush from the interior and off the edge, and is decent against the run, too. He does have a history of foot injuries and will be 25 as a rookie, which is why he should still be available here. But the Cowboys certainly shouldn’t worry about his age, since their window to be a contender again is small. Round 3 (No. 92): CB Davison Igbinosun, Ohio State Yes, another corner. That’s how big the need is there. He’s a strong, 6-2, 189-pounder with good speed and strong coverage skills, and he can be fearless as a run defender. The one big issue that might limit his upside is that he commits an inordinate amount of penalties. The coaching staff will need to tame his handsy tendencies so he doesn’t become a liability. But skills-wise, he can be an immediate third corner and eventually a No. 2, which is big for a team that really only has one. He’s another prospect who will require some patience because the penalty count could be high as a rookie, which will limit the nature of how and when he can be used. But that’s correctable and coachable. If he fixes that, he can be a fixture on the defense for a while. Round 4 (No. 112): LB Kaleb Elarms-Orr, TCU He has always been a sure tackler with blazing speed (4.47 40) that makes him a true sideline-to-sideline threat. He had 92 tackles at Cal in 2023 and increased that to 130 with 11 for loss (and four sacks) for TCU last season. Elarms-Orr is probably a bit undersized (6-2, 234), but his speed makes up for that. The bigger problem is scouts don’t see him as very instinctive, mostly because he didn’t play football until high school and wasn’t an inside linebacker until 2023. So there’s a learning curve, for sure. But put a man his size with that speed on the field and he’ll run down a lot of ballcarriers for the Cowboys. Round 5 (No. 152): OL Keagen Trost, Missouri The Cowboys have a good offensive line, but certainly could use some depth and some more young players to develop at the position. Trost, at 6-5, 311 pounds, has the size to go earlier than this, especially since he was an all-SEC blocker last season. But he’s another older prospect who’ll be a 25-year-old rookie after seven collegiate seasons. Add in some inconsistent mechanics, questions about whether he should play tackle or guard in the NFL, and the fact that he didn’t really hit the NFL’s radar until this past season, and not every team will want to invest the time to develop him, especially at his age. But again, the Cowboys’ window is closing. They can take a shot and see if he can give them at least a few good years. Round 5 (No. 177): WR Kevin Coleman, Missouri He’s a speedy and elusive slot receiver, not unlike Kavonte Turpin, and no, this isn’t a big position of need. But the 5-10, 179-pounder not only gives them a backup receiver and returner for Turpin, but it also gives them future insurance considering Turpin is about to turn 30. He is a playmaker who can be a danger on inside passes, but also has the speed and hands to be a downfield threat. If he’s used in the right way, he can be a threat any time he touches the ball. Round 5 (No. 180): Edge Max Llewellyn, Iowa The 6-5, 258-pounder led the Hawkeyes last season with 45 pressures, and he had 12 sacks over the past two seasons. He plays hard and can be a handful for slower tackles when he comes off the edge. But on Day One, he’s probably a situational pass-rusher who needs to improve against the run. He did have 17.5 tackles for loss in 2025, but scouts think that reflects more on his ability to read plays and find gaps than his explosiveness and strength. It won’t be nearly as easy for him to do that in the pros. Round 7 (No. 218): DT Tim Keenan, Alabama The Cowboys are top-heavy at defensive tackle with Kenny Clark and Quinnen Williams, but they were comfortable enough with their situation to trade away Osa Odighizuwa. What they do need at this spot is depth and some young talent, and Keenan could fill both. He’s a 6-1, 327-pounder who can clog lanes in the rushing defense. He won’t do a lot more than that at first, but there’s an upside to him, and he’s known as a team-leader and a hard worker. That’s worth a shot in the seventh round.