The NFL draft is less than one month away, and the Dallas Cowboys are putting the finishing touches on evaluating the impending draft class with Pro Day visits and prospect visits at The Star in Frisco over the next two weeks.
After acquiring a third-round pick from the San Francisco 49ers in the trade that sent away defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa, the Cowboys now have eight total picks in the draft and three in the top 100.
Using the Pro Football Focus mock draft simulator, let’s do a seven-round mock based on what could happen for the Dallas Cowboys next month.
Note: No trades were used in this exercise.
TCU cornerback Mansoor Delane celebrates after forcing an incomplete pass against South Carolina on Oct. 11, 2025, at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, La. Michael DeMocker Getty Images No. 12: CB Mansoor Delane (LSU)
After his Pro Day 40-yard dash came in around 4.45, the hype around Delane has never been higher. At 6-foot, 187 pounds, Delane allowed just 14 receptions for 165 yards in his senior season and has adept abilities playing in a man or zone scheme.
In defensive coordinator Christian Parker’s scheme, he would step in as a day-one starter on the outside, and his talent is high enough to where he would be a top-15 cornerback as early as his rookie season. Simply put, this would be a home run pick.
No. 20: DE T.J. Parker (Clemson)
Trading out of the No. 20 pick seems like a high possibility because of the talent gap from the teens into the twenties of this draft. But if the Cowboys don’t find a tango partner, drafting Parker makes some sense.
Not only did the Cowboys hold a formal meeting with Parker at the combine, but defensive line coach Marcus Dixon worked him out at his Pro Day alongside fellow Tigers defensive linemen Peter Woods and DeMonte Capehart. Parker would give a physical presence to the run game with pass rush upside that could make him a capable mainstay in the 3-4 scheme.
USC safety Kamari Ramsey intercepts a pass intended for Texas A&M wide receiver Jabre Barber during the first half of the Las Vegas Bowl on Dec. 27, 2024, at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. David Becker Getty Images No. 92: S Kamari Ramsey (USC)
Grabbing Ramsey this late into day two of the draft was too good to pass up on. Over the course of his college career, Ramsey allowed 59 receptions for 494 yards in coverage. While his ball production totaled just two interceptions during his career, his ability to play as a rangy deep safety forced opposing quarterbacks to keep things underneath with his top-end services looming downfield.
In a Cowboys safety room that has seen Donovan Wilson depart and Jalen Thompson come in, Ramsey wouldn’t necessarily be a day-one starter, but that doesn’t mean that he wouldn’t play a healthy handful of snaps every week in different packages. Additionally, he could serve as legitimate competition to Malik Hooker at the free safety spot.
No. 112: LB Harold Perkins Jr. (LSU)
It’s been a roller-coaster career for Perkins, who exploded onto the scene as a freshman with 7.5 sacks, 13.5 tackles for loss and four forced fumbles but then suffered a torn ACL and a barrage of defensive coordinator changes. His final season in Baton Rouge saw his pass rush production slip to four sacks, but his coverage ability saw an uptick with three interceptions.
Perkins is an athletic freak show — even post-ACL surgery — but the biggest issue he faces is that his 6-foot-1, 223-pound frame doesn’t pin him at any specific position. He might be too small to be a linebacker or edge, but he might not have the coverage ability to move to safety or nickel. With that athleticism, the problems might be solved by pure talent. And if all else fails, he was an electric factory at running back in high school.
Nebraska running back Emmett Johnson runs past UCLA linebacker JonJon Vaughns for a touchdown Nov. 8, 2025, at Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, Calif. Harry How Getty Images No. 152: RB Emmett Johnson (Nebraska)
Speaking of the running back position, it would make sense for the Cowboys to swing on one on day three to inject some competition in the room behind Javonte Williams. On Wednesday, assistant running backs coach Jamel Mutanga worked out Johnson at his Pro Day in Lincoln, and it would make a lot of sense if he was the pick if he’s on the board with this fifth-round selection.
Johnson ended the season with five consecutive 100-yard games, including a 217-yard explosion against Iowa in the season finale. His quickness might need some refining going to the NFL level, but his gap-scheme ability and receiving ability would make for a perfect complement in a running back room.
And it can’t hurt to have a running back named Emmett, right?
No. 177: LB Aiden Fisher (Indiana)
While it remains the expectation that the Cowboys address the middle linebacker spot in the trade market either before or after the draft, throwing a young national champion lead defensive communicator like Fisher into the mix on day three would be incredibly wise.
While Fisher’s athleticism leaves a lot to be desired, his high IQ and ability to diagnose from the middle make up for athletic limitations with an extra step on breaking up an offensive rhythm. He might not be a day-one starter, but his special teams impact and reliable depth in the position room are exactly what you would be shooting for in the fifth round.
No. 180: DT Zane Durant (Penn State)
After trading away Odighizuwa, it makes sense for the Cowboys to add a defensive tackle in the draft. And if they get this deep into it without swinging on one, throwing the uber-athletic Durant into the mix would be a fun addition.
A twitchy, short-area explosive player who excels in the B-gap, Durant led all defensive tackles at the combine with a 4.75-second 40-yard dash. That athleticism translated to the field over the past two seasons at Penn State, as he combined for 15.5 tackles for loss and seven sacks.
No. 218: WR Noah Thomas (Georgia)
After the Cowboys let Jalen Tolbert walk in free agency, there is a spot open in the receiver room going into 2026 behind CeeDee Lamb, George Pickens, Ryan Flournoy and KaVontae Turpin. Traeshon Holden showed some flash in training camp last season, but he will need to prove his special teams value before earning a spot.
Adding a 6-foot-5 physical outside threat like Thomas in the seventh round would help give Dallas a big body on special teams and a specialized offensive role in contested catch situations.
Game schedule dates, times, locations March 16 New Orleans 129, Mavericks 111 March 18 Atlanta 135, Mavericks 120 March 21 L.A. Clippers 138, Mavericks 131 (OT) March 23 Golden State 137, Mavericks 131 (OT) March 25 Denver 142, Mavericks 135 March 27 at Portland, 9 p.m., KFAA, MavsTV, NBA TV March 30 vs. Minnesota, 7:30 p.m., KFAA, MavsTV March 31 at Milwaukee, 7 p.m., KFAA, MavsTV April 3 vs. Orlando, 7:30 p.m., KFAA, MavsTV April 5 vs. L.A. Lakers, 6:30 p.m., NBC, Peacock March 7 TCU 73, Cincinnati 63 Big 12 Tournament (at Kansas City, Mo.) March 11 No. 6 TCU 95, No. 14 Oklahoma State 88 (second round) March 12 No. 3 Kansas 78, No. 6 TCU 73 (quarterfinals) NCAA Tournament (at Greenville, S.C.) March 19 No. 9 TCU 66, No. 8 Ohio State 64 (first round) March 21 No. 1 Duke 81, No. 9 TCU 58 (second round) March 1 TCU 65, Baylor 53 Big 12 Tournament (at Kansas City, Mo.) March 6 No. 1 TCU 63, No. 9 BYU 46 (quarterfinals) March 7 No. 1 TCU 74, No. 12 Kansas State 62 (semifinals) March 8 No. 2 West Virginia 62, No. 1 TCU 53 (championship) NCAA Tournament Opening rounds (at Schollmaier Arena) March 20 No. 3 TCU 86, No. 14 UC San Diego 40 (first round) March 22 No. 3 TCU 62, No. 6 Washington 59 (OT) (second round) Sacramento Regional March 28 vs. No. 10 Virginia (Sweet 16), 6:30 p.m., ESPN March 26 Philadelphia 5, Rangers 3 March 28 at Philadelphia, 3:05 p.m., RSN March 29 at Philadelphia, 12:35 p.m., RSN March 30 at Baltimore, 5:35 p.m., RSN March 31 at Baltimore, 5:35 p.m., RSN April 1 at Baltimore, 11:35 a.m., RSN March 17 TCU 16, New Mexico State 6 (7 innings) March 20 Central Florida 18, TCU 7 March 21 TCU 6, Central Florida 0 March 22 Central Florida 9, TCU 1 March 24 TCU 11, Dallas Baptist 5 March 27 vs. Texas Tech, 6 p.m., ESPN+ March 28 vs. Texas Tech, 2 p.m., ESPN+ March 29 vs. Texas Tech, 1 p.m., ESPN+ March 31 vs. Lamar, 6 p.m., ESPN+ March 18 Stars 2, Colorado 1 (SO) March 21 Minnesota 2, Stars 1 (OT) March 22 Vegas 3, Stars 2 March 24 New Jersey 6, Stars 4 March 26 N.Y. Islanders 2, Stars 1 March 28 at Pittsburgh, 4 p.m., Victory+ March 29 at Philadelphia, 6 p.m., Victory+ March 31 at Boston, 6 p.m., Fox, Victory+ April 2 vs. Winnipeg, 7 p.m., Victory+ April 4 vs. Colorado, 2 p.m., ABC 2026 season Aug. 29 vs. North Carolina (at Dublin), TBA Sept. 12 vs. Grambling State, TBA Sept. 19 vs. Arkansas State, TBA Sept. 26 at Central Florida, TBA Oct. 3 vs. BYU, TBA Oct. 17 at Baylor, TBA Oct. 24 vs. West Virginia, TBA Oct. 31 vs. Kansas, TBA Nov. 7 at Arizona, TBA Nov. 14 vs. Kansas State, TBA Nov. 21 vs. Utah, TBA Nov. 28 at Texas Tech, TBA 2026 season TBA vs. TBA (at Rio de Janeiro), TBA 2026 opponents (dates and times TBA; one home game will be in Rio) vs. N.Y Giants vs. Philadelphia vs. Washington vs. Arizona vs. San Francisco vs. Tampa Bay vs. Jacksonville vs. Tennessee vs. Baltimore at N.Y Giants at Philadelphia at Washington at L.A. Rams at Seattle at Green Bay at Houston at Indianapolis Feb. 21 FC Dallas 3, Toronto 2 Feb. 28 FC Dallas 0, Nashville 0 March 7 LAFC 1, FC Dallas 0 March 14 FC Dallas 3, San Diego 3 March 21 FC Dallas 4, Houston 3 April 4 at D.C. United, 6:30 p.m., Apple TV April 11 vs. St. Louis, 7:30 p.m., Apple TV April 18 vs. LA Galaxy, 7:30 p.m., Apple TV April 22 vs. Minnesota, 7:30 p.m., Apple TV April 25 at Seattle, 9:30 p.m., Apple TV March 28 Mopar Heaven April 11 NASCAR Racing Experience April 18 Team Texas-David Starr’s Racing School April 18 Bubble Run April 23-25 Pate Swap Meet April 25 FuelFest April 30-May 2 High Limit Racing Stockyard Stampede May 1 NASCAR Truck Series: SpeedyCash.com 250 May 2 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series: Andy’s Frozen Custard 340 May 3 NASCAR Cup Series: Wurth 400
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Nick Harris is the Dallas Cowboys beat reporter for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. He has experience working on the beat for DallasCowboys.com and previous work experience at Yahoo Sports/Rivals and 247Sports.