Two teams may be gearing up to head to Santa Clara, but the NFL’s other 30 clubs are already strategizing on how to book themselves for a trip farther down the California coast, to Inglewood, for Super Bowl LXI this time next year.
The list of 2025’s also-ran teams, including the 7-9-1 Cowboys, will look to the draft three months from now- Apr. 23 through 25 in Pittsburgh- as perhaps the biggest opportunity to address current areas of roster weakness, secure the positional depth they were missing this season, or even locate the league’s next superstar talent.
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Evaluating the next crop of rookies will take many forms, from the college all-star games to the scouting combine to in-person visits with interested teams. And then there are the mock drafts, in which experts play matchmaker and try to align teams’ real-life needs with the available prospects who might best fit the bill.
PFF’s latest mock has the Cowboys, unsurprisingly, bolstering their defense with both of their current first-round selections.
Here’s a look at Dalton Wasserman’s picks, just two of the names that Cowboys Nation will likely be hearing a lot about over the next 87 days.
No. 12: LB Sonny Styles, Ohio State
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA – DECEMBER 06: Sonny Styles #0 of the Ohio State Buckeyes in action against the Indiana Hoosiers in the 2025 Big Ten Football Championship at Lucas Oil Stadium on December 06, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
“Dallas needs to rebuild its back seven, starting with an infusion of talent at linebacker after the unit ranked 31st in the NFL in PFF grade this season. Pairing Ohio State’s Sonny Styles with a healthy DeMarvion Overshown would be a strong first step. Styles’ 88.5 PFF grade ranked seventh among qualified FBS linebackers this season, and he missed just two tackles all year.” –Wasserman, PFF
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Styles is the second linebacker to be taken in this mock exercise, with Buckeyes teammate Arvell Reese coming off the board in the Top 3. Listed at 6-foot-5, Styles would be the tallest linebacker on the Cowboys’ current roster. And he comes with an NFL pedigree; his dad Lorenzo played linebacker for six seasons, even earning a ring with the Rams for Super Bowl XXXIV.
No. 20: CB Avieon Terrell, Clemson
Clemson Tigers cornerback Avieon Terrell (8) celebrates after stopping a fake punt attempt by Troy Trojans Saturday, Sept. 6, 2025 during the NCAA football game at Memorial Stadium in Clemson, South Carolina.
“Dallas makes another defensive addition here with Avieon Terrell. An aggressive playmaker, Terrell has totaled eight forced fumbles, four sacks, two interceptions and 15 pass breakups over the past two seasons, production that has helped him earn PFF grades of at least 82.0 during that span. He would be a welcome addition to a Dallas defense that ranks last in the NFL in coverage grade this season.” –Wasserman, PFF
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Trevon Diggs is on the open market after his release, and DaRon Bland has dealt with injuries two seasons in a row. Second-year man Shavon Revel Jr. is very green, and Caelen Carson has yet to make the leap. Adding top-tier talent to the room to see who might stick is a smart play for the Cowboys. Terrell is the brother of A.J., Atlanta’s veteran corner and former first-round pick.
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This article originally appeared on Cowboys Wire: Cowboys draft two defenders with NFL bloodlines in PFF mock