Jan. 21, 2026, 7:07 p.m. CT

It’s time! Nothing marks the true start of the draft season like Mel Kiper releasing his first mock draft. ESPN‘s resident draftnik is truly the godfather of an entire industry. He was the first to go national for his work in connecting the collegiate prospects to the NFL game, appearing on the early televised versions of the NFL draft and spawning hundreds of thousands, if not millions of copy cats.

Kiper has returned to prominence for 2026, releasing several top 50 iterations before this, but finally taking a stab at the entire first round and projecting players to fits. With the Dallas Cowboys one of three teams to have two first-round picks, Kiper gets the chance to create a vision for the future of the organization.

The caveat? No one yet knows exactly what style of defense Dallas will deploy in 2026 and beyond, as they still have yet to hire a new defensive coordinator. Perhaps because of this, Kiper sticks to the front seven prospects when he made selections for the No. 12 and No. 20 picks.

Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State

If you wanted to score points in 2025, all you needed was a matchup with the Cowboys’ defense. They allowed 30.1 points per game, the most in the league. This is another spot where Jermod McCoy could make sense, though DaRon Bland (foot) will be back in 2026. And I think Keldric Faulk could fit here if he is still on the board. But Dallas could really use an impact player in the middle of the defense. Styles is a former safety, and it’s no surprise once you see his speed. He can close on ball carriers and pass catchers in a flash. With 174 tackles over the past two seasons, he’s a top-10 prospect for me.

One of the biggest disappointments of the 2026 season was the way then DC Matt Eberflus deployed his linebackers. Kenneth Murray was as bad as advertised, yet he maintained a stranglehold on the middle linebacker spot for the entire season. Dallas needs someone to pair with DeMarvion Overshown, who seemed to be a step slower after his second ACL injury and who they hope will return to form. Styles and a healthy Overshown could quickly form one of the league’s top linebacker duos.

Expert NFL picks: Exclusive betting insights only at USA TODAY.

Related:Cowboys Wire’s 7-round mock nets Texas Tech’s Bailey along with Georgia’s CJ Allen

Akheem Mesidor, DE, Miami

Miami lost in Monday’s national championship game, but did you watch Mesidor? He had two sacks, bringing his season total to 12.5. He has been around college football for a long time, playing at West Virginia in 2020 and 2021 before transferring to Miami. Mesidor has battled injuries, but his toolbox is full. His bend, burst and power could help the Cowboys recapture some of the pass-rush juice they lost when they traded Micah Parsons in August. Mesidor can get into the backfield quickly and finish, registering 17.5 tackles for loss and four forced fumbles this past season.

Taking Sonny Styles at No. 12 then Mesidor here would help that Dallas defense in a big way — but Jerry Jones would have to figure out the secondary on Day 2 or in free agency. That’s yet another hole on that side of the ball.

This one is extremely interesting as Mesidor, 25, is an older player who likely has less upside than those coming out at Age 21 or Age 22. He also has injured feet that will have to get a clean bill of health during the scouting combine in February.

But when he’s on the field, he’s one of the most impressive edge rushers in this class. He’s coming off a two-sack performance in the College Football Championship, and has been a terror to opposing offensive tackles all season.

Pairing him with Donovan Ezeiruaku, who despite not notching many sacks had a tremendous season as an edge setter and pressure player as a rookie, could form a dynamic duo if augmented by a productive veteran or two via free agency or trade.

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