The Dallas Cowboys have made trades and tweaked contracts. Owner Jerry Jones said the defensive remake will work. But here is the bold Cowboys 2026 NFL Draft trade that would make them a Super Bowl contender.
It would be hard to look at what the Cowboys have done in the offseason and say the defense hasn’t improved. Sure, they’ve swung for the fences. Will it work?
When you take an unproven defensive coordinator under a still unproven head coach and throw them pieces of a new-look defense, it is a Rubik’s Cube or a 50-piece kids puzzle?
It could be closer to the latter … if the Cowboys make the right pick in the draft.
Cowboys can complete defensive makeover in draft
If you listen to owner Jerry Jones, the Cowboys have already done enough on defense to smell the big game. Most NFL observers agree that the Cowboys are firmly in the mix if they improve to a slightly above-average defense.
And Jones said they’re moving in that direction, according to dallascowboys.com.
“I'll tell you, when you have the challenges we had last year, there's no place to go but up on the defensive side of the ball,” Jones said. “Had we played a lick of defense last year, we would've had ourselves, I think, a real playoff run.
“Of course, we actually have touched some offense with a great blocker, but more importantly, what we've done on defense. That plus what we have set up for the draft, plus what we really have coming back from our veteran defensive players that really didn't play that much last year, injury issues, things like that, gives us a lot of promise.”
Of course, it still comes down to making the right pick. It’s not just a matter of picking the right position. The Cowboys have to find a player who can come in as a rookie and be a viable starter at the linebacker position.
And Mel Kiper’s latest mock draft has one answer. It came with Kiper’s projection for their second first-round pick.
“It'd be wise for the Cowboys to double-dip on defense (Jermod McCoy at No. 12),” Kiper wrote. “They gave up 6.1 yards per play in 2025, 31st in the NFL and third worst for any team in any of the past five seasons. Allen can play all three downs, as he can drop in coverage, run down ball carriers, and even blitz. He had 97 tackles last season for the Bulldogs, showcasing tremendous read-and-react skills.”
But is Allen the right move? He ranks No. 18 on the Pro Football Focus big board. And he’s the third-ranked linebacker. But is this the move the Cowboys need to make?
Maybe not. Settling for the No. 3 linebacker in the draft may mean getting a guy who doesn’t really pop until his second or even third NFL season. Now, Allen is good enough to contribute as a rookie. But the sure-fire bet is Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles.
Cowboys should trade up to get LB Sonny Styles
It’s hard to know what the demands are for moving up in a trade. Sometimes the cost seems exorbitant. And it depends on how far the Cowboys need to go to get Styles.
One problem is the division-rival Commanders may have their eyes on Styles. That’s Kiper’s current projection for them.
“Bringing in Styles — my No. 6 prospect regardless of position — to team up with Frankie Luvu and new addition Leo Chenal makes some sense,” Kiper wrote. “After a 77-tackle season, Styles posted an incredible 43½-inch vertical jump at the combine, a glimpse into his explosion. Washington needs good ball players, and Styles is just that.”
So the Cowboys may need to target the No. 6 pick. Fortunately, the rebuilding Browns are there. And there’s even more good news. The Browns are projected to take Georgia offensive tackle Monroe Freeling. There’s a chance he would still be on the board at No. 12.
If he’s not, the Browns would possibly be happy with Miami’s Francis Mauigoa, who slips in the Kiper mock to No. 11. Also, Spencer Fano of Utah could be in play for the Browns. Kiper mocks him at No. 14.
The Cowboys could offer pick No. 12 and their third-round pick (No. 92 overall). They could probably get the Browns to offer up their sixth-round pick. But even without it, the Browns would still get their offensive lineman and basically earn a free third-round pick.
Plus, the Cowboys still have pick No. 20 overall. And that’s where things get even more interesting.
Cowboys can still get their CB at No. 20
Kiper has the Cowboys taking Jermod McCoy at No. 12 overall.
“Dallas gave up a league-worst 7.3 yards per dropback last season, and the secondary was gashed for a league-high 46 passing plays of 25 or more yards,” Kiper wrote. “I liked the Jalen Thompson signing at safety, and Cobie Durant will chip in at cornerback alongside DaRon Bland and Shavon Revel Jr., but the Cowboys are still looking for their No. 1 cornerback.
“McCoy doesn't come without questions. He tore an ACL in January 2025, sat out the season, and then didn't work out at the combine. But he can flat-out play when he's on the field. McCoy had four interceptions in 2024. If Dallas likes what it sees at his March 31 pro day, this could be a smart pick.”
Because of his injury, McCoy could slip all the way back to the Cowboys at No. 20. That could change based on his Pro Day workout. Yes, it would be a gamble.
However, it’s not a disaster if the Cowboys have to settle for Clemson cornerback Avieon Terrell. Kiper mocked him at No. 26 to the Bills.
This wouldn’t be the splash pick of McCoy. But it also comes with no current injury risk. The Cowboys are built to win in 2026, so a slow start to a pro career, which McCoy might have coming off the ACL tear, isn’t what the team needs.
