There are very few things that could happen in the 2026 NFL Draft that would be truly stunning, but Pro Football Focus has discovered at least one of them.
In a recent NFL mock draft from Jordan Plocher, PFF explored the idea of the Dallas Cowboys making a wild move up the board with the Arizona Cardinals. For Rueben Bain, right? No, not Rueben Bain. For Sonny Styles or Arvell Reese, then? Nope, not them either.
No, this mock draft from PFF has the Cowboys trading up to the 3rd overall pick to select Notre Dame star running back Jeremiyah Love...This would be the type of scenario that would send the NFL world into an absolute frenzy.
Cowboys trade up for Jeremiyah Love in latest PFF 2026 NFL Mock Draft
Here's Plocher's defense of the Cowboys moving heaven and earth to trade up for Love:
"Jerry Jones cares a lot about branding and putting on a show, and in this mock draft, the Cowboys owner/general manager sends both of the team's first-round picks, Nos. 12 and 20, to the Arizona Cardinals for the No. 3 overall selection and then selects the best player in the draft class in Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love.
Cowboys fans who know the roster have already grabbed torches and pitchforks to revolt at the idea of this, but it isn’t out of the realm of possibilities. Love is a home-run threat out of the backfield, and his 726 breakaway rushing yards, 18 rushing touchdowns, and 93.7 PFF rushing grade in 2025 all led the draft class.
Yes, the defense would be better off if Dallas spends its two first-round picks on defensive players, but adding Love to the mix with Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, and George Pickens creates a lethal offense with a terrifying set of offensive skill players. It's fun to think about."
- Jordan Plocher, PFF
It's certainly fun to think about and we'd also be here for the reaction that would ensue. We'd be very much here for the content.
But in real life, this would be a difficult one to make sense of. The Cowboys just invested a substantial contract in Javonte Williams, a home run free agent signing for them last offseason. With Williams back in the fold on a new contract, the Cowboys have to be more focused about adding rookie contracts to the defensive side of the ball.
That's not to say they would forsake Love if he fell to the 12th overall pick. Maybe in the event something like that happens, they would take him. But to trade multiple 1st-rounders to go up and get him?
That would be roster malpractice on the part of Jerry Jones.
As fun as it is to think of the Cowboys having Jeremiyah Love in their offense, this is more along the lines of a pipe dream scenario that just won't happen. Even if the NFL devalues Love because he plays running back, it's hard seeing him last much longer than the top 7-9 picks overall.
It's possible that he's the best player in this year's draft, however. So maybe a team trading up to get him isn't the worst idea. But the Cowboys? That would be mind-boggling.