![\"Aug](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/USATSI_26863620-scaled.jpg\")
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tAug 16, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones before the game against the Baltimore Ravens at AT&T Stadium.
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tKevin Jairaj-Imagn Images<\/p>\n
Three Dallas Cowboys-centric takeaways from our \u201cmock trade battle\u201d following the latest NFL trade that shook up the Top 10 picks under one week away from the draft. <\/p>\n
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tAug 16, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones before the game against the Baltimore Ravens at AT&T Stadium.
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tKevin Jairaj-Imagn Images<\/p>\n
Draft week is upon us and to celebrate, I took on the Dallas Cowboys\u2019 GM responsibilities in a recent group mock draft where a handful of us at A to Z Sports gamed out what the first round could look like after the latest blockbuster NFL trade. <\/p>\n
Now that the New York Giants have two Top 10 picks after dealing DT Dexter Lawrence to the Cincinnati Bengals<\/a>, we wondered how teams could move in the top of the first round. <\/p>\n For the Cowboys, who could be concerned about the Giants sharing similar interests on defensive prospects, there\u2019s even more urgency to move up. Below is the Cowboys\u2019 mock but most importantly, my biggest takeaways from the group thought exercise. <\/p>\n<\/p>\n The Cowboys\u2019 mock trade up and pick<\/p>\n Going in with a strategy to trade up, I had the Cowboys moving up to No. 4 overall from the Tennessee Titans. The details: <\/p>\n Titans get: No. 12 overall, No. 20 overall, 2027 second round pick<\/p>\n Cowboys get: No. 4 overall, No. 66 overall (third round)<\/p>\n At No. 4, I had the Cowboys taking LB Sonny Styles out of Ohio State. He\u2019s one of the few blue-chip defenders in this year\u2019s class and he would fill the team\u2019s biggest roster hole ahead of the season. <\/p>\n Again, this isn\u2019t a new scenario at all so I won\u2019t spend too much time on it. Instead, I want to dive into key takeaways that could better explain what the Cowboys\u2019 strategy could look like next Thursday. <\/p>\n 1. The Giants may not want Styles at No. 5<\/p>\n Representing the Giants in our mock draft was Joe DeLeone, who hosts our A to Z Sports G Men channel. While part of my efforts to move up to No. 4 were all about securing Styles and keeping him away from John Harbaugh\u2019s squad, DeLeone thinks he wouldn\u2019t be the pick at No. 5. <\/p>\n \u201cI personally think that any love for Sonny Styles at this current moment is probably being done to dupe the Cowboys into wanting to move up and throw a bunch of picks on the table, because I don\u2019t think it makes sense,\u201d DeLeone argued. \u201cYou just brought in Tremaine Edmunds, who\u2019s 6\u20195. I just don\u2019t like the idea of having two 6\u20195 inside linebackers.\u201d<\/p>\n If Joe is right, the Cowboys would be smart to wait until pulling the trigger on a trade (more on that later).<\/p>\n 2. Moving into the Top 5 will be expensive<\/p>\n What I liked about my mock trade with the Titans: getting pick No. 66 in return. <\/p>\n What I absolutely hated about the deal: losing a 2027 second-round pick. <\/p>\n As we get closer and closer to the draft, it\u2019s clear if Dallas wants to move up into the Top 5, it will have to do something it isn\u2019t comfortable doing. I don\u2019t see the Arizona Cardinals nor the Titans taking a steep discount. Maybe there\u2019s a player the Cowboys view as worthy of trading it all for. <\/p>\n We\u2019ll find out. <\/p>\n 3. Browns still make the most sense as Cowboys\u2019 trade partner<\/p>\n Combine takeaways 1 and 2. The biggest implication? The Browns at No. 6 overall, who are widely expected to move down on draft night, remain the best partner for the Cowboys<\/a>.<\/p>\n Dallas could make it to where they also land pick No. 39. With some sugar on top, that means the Cowboys could end up picking in the first, second, and third rounds. I bet that\u2019s the scenario Jerry Jones and Co. really like. <\/p>\n Under one week away from the draft, that\u2019s where my money is. <\/p>\n \t\t\t Dallas Cowboys News<\/p>\n![\"Sep](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/USATSI_27216103-200x200.jpg\")
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