2026 Dallas Cowboys Mock Draft: Let's Shore Up That Defense

The 2025 NFL season has come to a close, leaving us ready to start the NFL draft process.

The Dallas Cowboys tried to make some improvements to their defense via trades at the deadline last season, and while there's certainly more talent than there was earlier in the season, it didn't solve much, as they gave up 30+ points in four of their last five games - and the one they didn't, they gave up 23 to a Commanders team that was being led by Josh Johnson at QB.

Needless to say, there were so many holes on defense that still needed plugging, and the prevailing theory - which I subscribe to - is that the defense will need to be built from the bottom-up through the draft.

For this Dallas Cowboys mock draft, we won't have free agency information nor will be be trading picks, so we're going to draft it straight-up as it stands today.

Let's get to it!

Dallas Cowboys Mock Draft Picks

• Round 1, Pick 12: David Bailey, EDGE, Texas Tech

• Round 1, Pick 20: CJ Allen, LB, Georgia

• Round 4, Pick 112: Tim Keenan III, DT, Alabama

• Round 5, Pick 150: Seth McGowan, RB, Kentucky

• Round 5, Pick 177: Preston Hodge, CB, Colorado

• Round 6, Pick 215: Carver Williams, OT, Washington

• Round 7, Pick 225: Wydett Williams Jr., S, Ole Miss

Draft Analysis

Adding CJ Allen might be the most impactful of these two first round picks. It's possible he could command the middle of the field for the Cowboys for a decade or more, so finding that impact player is crucial.

That being said, the pass rush was atrocious last season, and while there's a lot of debate about how good David Bailey will ultimately be, he is likely going to rush the passer at a high level right out of the gate.

We only add two offensive pieces here. With Javonte Williams back in free agency, there's a big question mark floating around for who will step in to replace him if he doesn't return, with young backs Jaydon Blue and Phil Mafah still on the roster. Adding another competition piece here makes sense, as does continuing to add depth along the offensive line to help keep Dak healthy.

Ultimately, the Cowboys should look to trade back from one of those first round picks, in my opinion, to get some Day 2 depth back. Will they do it? I don't think so.

Fantasy Impacts

There's no direct fantasy impacts here with any of these selections outside of IDP leagues; however, an improved defense should impact how the Cowboys want to operate on offense. They're likely to be in less shootout-style games, which could overall lower their tempo and pass rate heading into 2026 - and with George Pickens testing the open market, a shift to a more balanced approach could be in the cards anyways.

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