Latest update: April 2, 2026
This page tracks where national analysts are sending the Cowboys in the first round and will be updated as new mocks drop. What is confirmed: Dallas owns picks No. 12 and No. 20, with the second first-rounder coming from Green Bay, and this is the franchise’s first draft with two first-round picks since 2008. What is not confirmed: the player names below are mock-draft projections, not inside reporting on Dallas’ board.
This mock-draft cycle matters more than usual because Dallas is not just picking high, it is picking twice in the top 20 while trying to fix a defense that badly slipped in 2025. Brian Schottenheimer has said the Cowboys’ offseason work has them set up to “draft natural” and “draft pure,” which is another way of saying they should not have to force a reach. That combination is why these mocks are useful right now: they show where league-wide thinking overlaps with Dallas’ actual roster pressure points.
The headline from the current mock landscape is simple: analysts are overwhelmingly pushing Dallas toward defense with both picks, but there is no true consensus on one specific player at No. 12. The split is wider than that. Edge rushers, corners, safeties and linebackers are all in the mix, which tells you the league sees Dallas as a team with multiple first-round caliber needs rather than one obvious hole.
The secondary crowd is just as loud. Daniel Jeremiah and Eric Edholm each mocked Tennessee corner Jermod McCoy to Dallas at No. 12, Charles Davis sent LSU corner Mansoor Delane there, and Nick Shook went with Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman. Those are different player types, but they point to the same conclusion: a big chunk of the mock-draft world believes Dallas’ first priority should be fixing the back end, not just the rush.
Then there is the premium-talent swing. Lance Zierlein mocked Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles to Dallas at 12 and basically framed it as a gift if he gets that far. That is important because it reflects another line of thinking around the Cowboys: if a high-end defensive playmaker unexpectedly slides, Dallas may care less about label and more about impact.
So what does No. 12 really look like right now? It looks less like a one-player consensus and more like a tier. Bain, McCoy, Delane, Thieneman, Styles and Mesidor all live in the conversation, which means analysts seem to agree more on Dallas’ side of the ball than on the exact name. That is useful for fans, because it says the board could break a few different ways and still feel on-brand for what Dallas needs.
But No. 20 is also where the double-dip ideas really start flying. Yates gave Dallas Missouri edge Zion Young after already mocking Bain at No. 12. Daniel Jeremiah went with Clemson edge T.J. Parker at 20, Eric Edholm connected Auburn edge Keldric Faulk to that pick, and Charles Davis used it on Georgia linebacker CJ Allen. In other words, analysts see Dallas’ second first-rounder as a place where the Cowboys could either finish off the secondary or keep hammering the front seven.
That is probably the best way to read No. 20 right now: it is the reaction pick. It changes based on what Dallas does first. If the Cowboys start with an edge or linebacker, the next name tends to be a corner. If they open with a defensive back, the second pick often shifts back to pass rush or second-level defense. It is less about one locked-in player and more about finishing a first-round defensive plan.
The second trend is that No. 12 is treated as the premium swing, while No. 20 is treated as the finish-the-job pick. That makes sense. At 12, analysts are still talking about players with true difference-maker ceilings. At 20, the conversation shifts toward fit, depth-chart repair and pairing the first pick with a complementary second move.
The third trend is that true offensive projections are still the exception, not the rule. Chad Reuter’s four-round mock put Ohio State receiver Carnell Tate at No. 12, and PFF floated a much splashier scenario with Dallas packaging both first-rounders to move up for Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love. Those ideas stand out mostly because they break from what the rest of the market is doing.
Jermod McCoy and Mansoor Delane also make real football sense for Dallas. The Cowboys need more answers in the secondary, and both players show up in the range where top corners usually start to get snapped up. If Dallas believes DaRon Bland stays outside and wants more stability and playmaking around him, those names fit the board and the roster.
At No. 20, Avieon Terrell and Colton Hood feel especially believable because that slot lines up with the point in the round where Dallas can address corner without forcing the issue at 12. If the Cowboys open with edge, linebacker or even safety, circling back to corner at 20 feels like one of the cleanest first-round paths on the board.
And if Sonny Styles somehow gets to 12, that is the kind of pick fans should talk themselves into fast. That would be less about solving one box on the needs sheet and more about grabbing a player with obvious top-tier impact potential. Dallas is in a better spot to do that this year because of the second first-rounder waiting at No. 20.
The PFF trade-up for Jeremiyah Love is the flashy outlier. It is fun. It would absolutely set the internet on fire. It also feels harder to buy for a team that still has multiple defensive needs. Dallas can be aggressive, but burning both first-rounders on one offensive star would go against almost every other signal in this mock cycle.
A double-edge first round is not impossible, but it also feels a little less believable than edge-plus-secondary. It cannot be dismissed, because several major mocks show versions of that idea. Still, when the roster needs and the broader mock trend are both pointing to secondary help, using both picks on front-seven players would feel like a narrower path.
The interesting wrinkle is that Schottenheimer’s “draft natural, draft pure” comment gives Dallas permission to follow the board instead of panicking into one position. That is why the projections fan out at No. 12. The Cowboys can talk themselves into edge, corner, safety or linebacker there, then use No. 20 to clean up whatever is left.
Yes. Dallas owns its own first-rounder at No. 12 and Green Bay’s first-rounder at No. 20.
Why are most mocks sending defenders to Dallas?
Because the Cowboys’ biggest needs still lean heavily toward defense, and that is the center of the mock-draft consensus right now.
Who is getting mocked to Dallas most often right now?
There is not one runaway favorite at No. 12, but Rueben Bain Jr., Jermod McCoy and other top defensive players keep resurfacing. At No. 20, cornerbacks such as Colton Hood and Avieon Terrell show up often, with edge rushers still firmly in the mix.
Could Dallas trade one of these picks?
Absolutely. Mock drafts have already explored both trade-down ideas and bigger trade-up swings. That is projection, not reporting, but it is clearly on the table in analyst scenarios.
This page tracks where national analysts are sending the Cowboys in the first round and will be updated as new mocks drop. What is confirmed: Dallas owns picks No. 12 and No. 20, with the second first-rounder coming from Green Bay, and this is the franchise’s first draft with two first-round picks since 2008. What is not confirmed: the player names below are mock-draft projections, not inside reporting on Dallas’ board.
This mock-draft cycle matters more than usual because Dallas is not just picking high, it is picking twice in the top 20 while trying to fix a defense that badly slipped in 2025. Brian Schottenheimer has said the Cowboys’ offseason work has them set up to “draft natural” and “draft pure,” which is another way of saying they should not have to force a reach. That combination is why these mocks are useful right now: they show where league-wide thinking overlaps with Dallas’ actual roster pressure points.
The headline from the current mock landscape is simple: analysts are overwhelmingly pushing Dallas toward defense with both picks, but there is no true consensus on one specific player at No. 12. The split is wider than that. Edge rushers, corners, safeties and linebackers are all in the mix, which tells you the league sees Dallas as a team with multiple first-round caliber needs rather than one obvious hole.
Why this draft cycle matters more than usual for Dallas
Normally, mock drafts around the Cowboys can feel like a weekly argument over one position. This year is different. Dallas has two chances to land instant-impact talent in the first round, and the shape of the board at No. 12 could completely change what happens at No. 20. If the Cowboys take an edge early, the second pick often swings to corner. If they open with a defensive back, some analysts come right back with another front-seven player. That is what makes this a live resource page, not a one-and-done article. The combinations matter as much as the individual names.Who analysts are projecting at No. 12
At No. 12, the strongest overall trend is that analysts see Dallas targeting impact defense, but they do not agree on the exact flavor. Field Yates at ESPN and Bucky Brooks at NFL.com both sent Miami edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr. to the Cowboys, while Sporting News recently mocked Miami edge Akheem Mesidor to Dallas in the same slot. That tells you the edge-rusher conversation is real even after the Rashan Gary move. National evaluators still think Dallas needs another difference-maker up front.The secondary crowd is just as loud. Daniel Jeremiah and Eric Edholm each mocked Tennessee corner Jermod McCoy to Dallas at No. 12, Charles Davis sent LSU corner Mansoor Delane there, and Nick Shook went with Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman. Those are different player types, but they point to the same conclusion: a big chunk of the mock-draft world believes Dallas’ first priority should be fixing the back end, not just the rush.
Then there is the premium-talent swing. Lance Zierlein mocked Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles to Dallas at 12 and basically framed it as a gift if he gets that far. That is important because it reflects another line of thinking around the Cowboys: if a high-end defensive playmaker unexpectedly slides, Dallas may care less about label and more about impact.
So what does No. 12 really look like right now? It looks less like a one-player consensus and more like a tier. Bain, McCoy, Delane, Thieneman, Styles and Mesidor all live in the conversation, which means analysts seem to agree more on Dallas’ side of the ball than on the exact name. That is useful for fans, because it says the board could break a few different ways and still feel on-brand for what Dallas needs.
Who analysts are projecting at No. 20
At No. 20, cornerback might have the slight edge as the most common theme. Zierlein and Bucky Brooks both landed on Tennessee corner Colton Hood for Dallas’ second first-rounder. Nick Shook and Sporting News each tied Dallas to Clemson corner Avieon Terrell at No. 20. Older roundup material from the Cowboys’ own site also showed Avieon Terrell repeatedly showing up in this range.But No. 20 is also where the double-dip ideas really start flying. Yates gave Dallas Missouri edge Zion Young after already mocking Bain at No. 12. Daniel Jeremiah went with Clemson edge T.J. Parker at 20, Eric Edholm connected Auburn edge Keldric Faulk to that pick, and Charles Davis used it on Georgia linebacker CJ Allen. In other words, analysts see Dallas’ second first-rounder as a place where the Cowboys could either finish off the secondary or keep hammering the front seven.
That is probably the best way to read No. 20 right now: it is the reaction pick. It changes based on what Dallas does first. If the Cowboys start with an edge or linebacker, the next name tends to be a corner. If they open with a defensive back, the second pick often shifts back to pass rush or second-level defense. It is less about one locked-in player and more about finishing a first-round defensive plan.
The biggest draft trends showing up for Dallas
The biggest trend is not subtle: defense owns this mock cycle. Across recent mocks, Dallas keeps getting tied to edge defenders, corners, safeties and linebackers. Even the Cowboys’ own March roundup leaned heavily toward names like Mansoor Delane, Keldric Faulk, Caleb Downs, Dillon Thieneman, Avieon Terrell and Jermod McCoy. The message from analysts is consistent even when the names change: fix the defense first.The second trend is that No. 12 is treated as the premium swing, while No. 20 is treated as the finish-the-job pick. That makes sense. At 12, analysts are still talking about players with true difference-maker ceilings. At 20, the conversation shifts toward fit, depth-chart repair and pairing the first pick with a complementary second move.
The third trend is that true offensive projections are still the exception, not the rule. Chad Reuter’s four-round mock put Ohio State receiver Carnell Tate at No. 12, and PFF floated a much splashier scenario with Dallas packaging both first-rounders to move up for Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love. Those ideas stand out mostly because they break from what the rest of the market is doing.
Which projected picks make the most sense
Rueben Bain Jr. makes a lot of sense at No. 12 because he checks both boxes that matter most right now: value and need. When different evaluators independently keep circling back to the same type of player, that is not noise anymore.Jermod McCoy and Mansoor Delane also make real football sense for Dallas. The Cowboys need more answers in the secondary, and both players show up in the range where top corners usually start to get snapped up. If Dallas believes DaRon Bland stays outside and wants more stability and playmaking around him, those names fit the board and the roster.
At No. 20, Avieon Terrell and Colton Hood feel especially believable because that slot lines up with the point in the round where Dallas can address corner without forcing the issue at 12. If the Cowboys open with edge, linebacker or even safety, circling back to corner at 20 feels like one of the cleanest first-round paths on the board.
And if Sonny Styles somehow gets to 12, that is the kind of pick fans should talk themselves into fast. That would be less about solving one box on the needs sheet and more about grabbing a player with obvious top-tier impact potential. Dallas is in a better spot to do that this year because of the second first-rounder waiting at No. 20.
Which projections feel less believable
The least believable projections are the ones that ask Dallas to ignore how many defensive fires still need attention. The Carnell Tate mock is interesting as a theory, but it feels more like a scenario build than the center of the current Cowboys draft conversation. The broader mock market just is not moving that direction right now.The PFF trade-up for Jeremiyah Love is the flashy outlier. It is fun. It would absolutely set the internet on fire. It also feels harder to buy for a team that still has multiple defensive needs. Dallas can be aggressive, but burning both first-rounders on one offensive star would go against almost every other signal in this mock cycle.
A double-edge first round is not impossible, but it also feels a little less believable than edge-plus-secondary. It cannot be dismissed, because several major mocks show versions of that idea. Still, when the roster needs and the broader mock trend are both pointing to secondary help, using both picks on front-seven players would feel like a narrower path.
How Dallas’ roster needs are shaping these mocks
Dallas’ needs are driving this entire conversation. That is why even after Dallas added veteran help this offseason, analysts still keep drafting defense for the Cowboys over and over again.The interesting wrinkle is that Schottenheimer’s “draft natural, draft pure” comment gives Dallas permission to follow the board instead of panicking into one position. That is why the projections fan out at No. 12. The Cowboys can talk themselves into edge, corner, safety or linebacker there, then use No. 20 to clean up whatever is left.
Bottom line
If you are looking for one clean takeaway, here it is: the mock-draft market sees Dallas as a defense-first team with enough first-round flexibility to attack the board in multiple ways. At No. 12, the names move around, but the theme stays the same. At No. 20, the Cowboys are most often finishing the job, usually with another defender. Right now, the most believable paths look like edge-plus-corner, corner-plus-edge or best-defender-available at 12 followed by a secondary fix at 20.FAQ
Do the Cowboys really have picks No. 12 and No. 20?Yes. Dallas owns its own first-rounder at No. 12 and Green Bay’s first-rounder at No. 20.
Why are most mocks sending defenders to Dallas?
Because the Cowboys’ biggest needs still lean heavily toward defense, and that is the center of the mock-draft consensus right now.
Who is getting mocked to Dallas most often right now?
There is not one runaway favorite at No. 12, but Rueben Bain Jr., Jermod McCoy and other top defensive players keep resurfacing. At No. 20, cornerbacks such as Colton Hood and Avieon Terrell show up often, with edge rushers still firmly in the mix.
Could Dallas trade one of these picks?
Absolutely. Mock drafts have already explored both trade-down ideas and bigger trade-up swings. That is projection, not reporting, but it is clearly on the table in analyst scenarios.
