The Dallas Cowboys really aren't all that far away. Sure, the team finished with a losing record in 2025, but they fielded one of the most lethal offenses in the NFL and do have the infrastructure in place on defense to be special. However, the defense does need new additions at all three levels.
But Dallas made a necessary change at the defensive coordinator spot, parting ways with Matt Eberflus and hiring Christian Parker, who comes from the Vic Fangio tree and has a long track record of success as an assistant.
It feels like the Cowboys made the right move here to hire Parker, but the unit itself still needs more talent, and the offense does have a few needs as well. This latest Cowboys mock draft is heavy on the defensive side of the ball and really puts the rest of the NFC on notice. Let's dive into it here.
Dallas Cowboys pour resources into the defense in updated 7-Round 2026 NFL Mock Draft
12. Mansoor Delane , CB, LSU
Arguably the best CB in the 2026 NFL Draft class, Mansoor Delane lasting to pick 12 might be a bit unlikely, but he was available in this mock draft, so the Cowboys pounce. Dallas did sport a lot of CB talent in 2025, but the group just could not remain healthy.
Trevon Diggs is now out of the picture, and guys like DaRon Bland and Shavon Revel Jr were either hurt during the year or are hurt now, so it's a unit that desperately needs some help. Delane has decent size for the position at 6-0 and 190 pounds.
He was also all around the ball at Virginia Tech and LSU, intercepting 8 career passes and amassing 27 passes defended in just 44 games. He also added 191 total tackles and 7 tackles for loss, so he's simply someone who is always around the ball and has Pro Bowl and All-Pro upside.
20. CJ Allen, LB, Georgia
CJ Allen and Mansoor Delane at picks 12 and 20 would be an absolute haul for the Dallas Cowboys in the 2026 NFL Draft. Dallas gets two blue-chip prospects at two key positions on defense thus far.
Allen played three years in college at Georgia but did manage to appear in 41 games, so he has the youth but also brings experience. In those 41 games, Allen amassed 205 total tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, 1 interception, and 10 passes defended. He is more of an old-school linebacker but can do a bit of everything.
DeMarvion Overshown figures to be another starter at the position in 2026. He returned from injury in 2025 and managed to play in six games, racking up 28 total tackles. The linebacker position is so key for any NFL defense, as those are the players that relay the play-calls to the rest of the unit.
They play right in the heart of the defense and also need to bring that tone-setting mentality. CJ Allen brings just that for the Dallas Cowboys.
112. Jude Bowry, OT, Boston College
Not picking again until the 112th pick, the Cowboys now pivot to the offensive side of the ball and snag Jude Bowry, a tackle from Boston College who played both left and right tackle at the NFL level.
Here is Brandon Thorn in Bleacher Report on what Bowry does well:
- Twitchy, explosive mover who flies out of his stance to beat rushers to the spot while remaining square to the line of scrimmage.
- Firm anchor when his hands land inside and able to immediately clamp inside the frame of rushers.
- Shows the range and fluidity to expand his set points, widen rushers off of his edge and protect the corner on an island.
- Good burst on the move to intersect targets on screens and climbs.
There is a lot to like about Bowry, especially if Dallas can get him all the way outside the top-100.
150. Bud Clark, S, TCU
The Dallas Cowboys have to get better at safety, but this position is interesting, as it's not necessarily a position that always needs a first or second-round investment - the free agency classes at the position are usually quite strong. The Denver Broncos, for example, have a top-3 safety duo in Brandon Jones and Talanoa Hufanga, and both were free agency signings.
However, drafting one later on makes a lot of sense. Bud Clark played his college football at TCU and brings a whopping 61 games of experience into the NFL. He's 6-2, so he's got the length, and he finished with 15 career interceptions and 21 passes defended.
Even as a depth piece, Clark would be a wise pick for the Dallas Cowboys in the 2026 NFL Draft.
177. Chase Roberts, WR, BYU
A wide receiver from BYU, the Cowboys snag Chase Roberts at pick 177 in this mock draft. Roberts played 49 games in college and finished with 170 receptions, 2,586 yards, and 18 touchdowns. He had at least 42 receptions and 550 yards across his final three years at BYU.
He's also 6-4, so the Cowboys get a potential "X" receiver here.
215. Caden Curry, EDGE, Ohio State
I could see the Cowboys chasing some pass-rushing help in free agency. Obviously, the unit needs a boost there without Micah Parsons. You'd like Dallas to address the position a bit earlier, but that just was not the case in this mock draft.
Caden Curry is the pick at 215. He had 16.5 tackles for loss and 11 sacks in 2025 for Ohio State, so being able to produce at that level against NFL-caliber competition could very easily translate into the NFL. Usually, with pass-rushers early on in their careers, they start out as more rotational, third-and-long type of rushers until they develop.
225. Seth McGowan, RB, Kentucky
The Cowboys finish up this 2026 NFL mock draft with Seth McGowan, a running back from Kentucky. It's not a guarantee that Dallas re-signs Javonte Williams this coming offseason.