Updated March 24, 2026, 11:39 p.m. CT
7-Round Mock Draft ResultsTrade with Vikings: 1.12 for 1.18, Edge Jonathan Greenard (300 pts)Trade with Chargers: 1,18, 5.152 for 1.22, 3.861.20 Select 4iDT Peter Woods, ClemsonTrade with Titans: 1.22, 5.180 for 2.35, 3.66Trade with Bengals: 2.35 for 2.41, 4.1102.41 CB Brandon Cisse, South Carolina3.66 RB Emmett Johnson, NebraskaTrade with Dolphins: 3.86, 4.112 for LB Jordyn Brooks, 4.1303.92: Safety Bud Clark, TCU4.110 LB/Edge Harold Perkins, LSU4.130 Edge Caden Curry, Ohio State5.177: Safety Lorenzo Styles, Jr.7.218: IDL Bryson Eason, Tennessee
The Dallas Cowboys still have plenty of work to do in order to get themselves in contention during the 2026 season. They may have righted the ship on defense in the coaching room, but they still need a bevy of players to execute a turnaround from the bottom of the league.
That is going to be quite difficult seeing the limited number of first-round grades that are going around this year. Most consider this to be a 12-14 deep class, meaning the entire back of the round are going to be filled with volatile rankings based on various teams boards. If a club is willing and able to keep offers straight, they could clean up by making numerous deals.
So here’s how we saw the club improving based on these moves.
Edge Rushers, Vet and Rookies
We believe in Donovan Ezeiruaku and like the addition of Rashan Gary (along with James Houston as a top backup), but new DC Christian Parker worked for Vic Fangio and Vance Joseph, two defensive coordinators who like to throw waves of players. So here we’ve added another veteran presence in Jonathan Greenard, a 24-sack-over-two-year guy, plus two rookies with a lot of upside in Harold Perkins and Caden Curry.
Expert NFL picks: Exclusive betting insights only at USA TODAY.Defensive Interior
Getting Peter Woods into the mix at 4i defensive end makes so much sense to me. Woods is the prototypical 1.5-gap player out of Clemson and would complete the defensive adjustment to run-stuffing with rush upside. The seventh-round pick Bryson Eason out of Tennessee is a flyer.
The DBs: Cornerback and Safety
We love everything about this South Carolina product and think Parker would to. Brandon Cisse is exceptionally fast, but he’s also a heady, instinctual player according to the reports. His knocks center around his frame, which Parker has no problem with shorter DBs, but he’s still pretty good in run support. Taking Bud Clark out of TCU brings a zone coverage ball hawk who is actually oversized for what Parker likes, but he’d be willing to take that gamble on a prospect as versatile in the defensive backfield as Clark is.
We’re drafting Lorenzo Styles just in the hope that the super speedster would convince his brother Sonny to sign in Dallas when free agency hits in five years.
Running Back
Our love affair with what Nebraska’s Emmett Johnson would bring to the field for the Cowboys offense will not end, and getting extra picks along the way so he doesn’t detract from the haul of defenders is icing on the cake, not a necessity. His breakaway speed, ability to get to the corner and his deadleg in traffic are insane.
Again, if a club is willing and able to keep offers straight, they could clean up by making numerous deals. That’s what we’ve done on behalf of Stephen Jones and Will McClay. We’ve used getting wiped out of top defensive stars at No. 12 to bail on the pick. In this sim, conducted on PFF with their consensus board, the trades completed all made great sense. The swapping team had a great fit for their org where the Cowboys were picking and came up and got those players.
Only problem is the sim glitches at the end and you can’t take a picture of all of the trades and subsequent picks, you’ll have to take our word on the order.