The NFL Draft is a little over two weeks away and it’s still difficult to get a read on exactly what the Dallas Cowboys will do with their two first-round picks.
Of course, Jerry Jones didn’t rule out any potential trade scenarios when asked at last week’s league meetings in Arizona.
“I’ve looked at that mirror a lot, about how to go up and down and trade and do those kinds of things,” the Cowboys owner and general manager said. “And absolutely, we’ll entertain improving or an in-draft read on what gives us a better chance to get another player, and still have our pick in the red meat of top players. Now, that has an on-the-board aspect to it, but it’s very doable. And, yes, you should, when you’ve got the kind of assets or the kind of ammunition we’ve got in this draft, you should look at all machinations. It’s one thing to sit here right now, it’s another thing to sit and look at it three hours into the draft and see what you got there. So, all of that is a possibility.”
To get an idea of what some mock drafts have been projecting for Dallas with the 12th and 20th selections, here’s a breakdown of a few recent mocks at The Athletic:
Mock draft No. 1
Bruce Feldman presented an interesting scenario in his annual NFL mock draft based on intel he’s “gathered from coaching, scouting and agent sources over the past month-plus.”
Feldman had the Cowboys trading up to the No. 3 pick to select Texas Tech edge rusher David Bailey. In that scenario, he had Dallas sending the 12th and 92nd picks to the Arizona Cardinals. It would probably take more to execute that trade. If Dallas is in love with Bailey on that level, it would likely take the 12th and 20th picks to make that kind of jump. The combination of Nos. 12 and 92 probably would only get Dallas up to the ninth pick, which is still an interesting possibility if a player they really like starts to fall.
“The Cowboys didn’t get Maxx Crosby and still could use more juice attacking offenses,” Feldman wrote. “They would love for (Ohio State edge/LB Arvell Reese) to fall here, but Bailey is another true difference-maker in a draft that isn’t all that deep with them.”
When Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer was asked about the possibility of Dallas trading up in the draft at the league meetings last week, he responded: “Absolutely. Jerry is never afraid of making deals.”
There’s no question Dallas would love an immediate impact edge rusher like Bailey to complement what they have with Rashan Gary, Donovan Ezeiruaku, Sam Williams, Tyrus Wheat and others. The position group needs help. And it’s very unlikely that Bailey would fall anywhere near the 12th pick. If new defensive coordinator Christian Parker believes Bailey is a future Pro Bowl edge rusher and the Cardinals are interested in moving back, it’s not a bad idea. But do the Cowboys feel that strongly about Bailey?
Help is needed all over a defense that was arguably the NFL’s worst last season. Most believe both first-round picks will be spent on that side of the ball. It seems more likely that the Cowboys want to come away with two Day 1 starters than just one.
Mock draft No. 2
Vic Tafur also had the Cowboys trading up to the third pick in his recent mock draft. But instead of going defense, Dallas picked Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love.
“No one is talking about how undervalued the running back position is when a polished prospect like Love pops up,” Tafur wrote. “Looking at those odds again, Love is plus-145 to go third in the draft — as opposed to minus-145 at No. 4 — and a 20-1 shot to be drafted by the Cowboys, per BetMGM.”
This would be a stunning move for several reasons. First, the Cowboys return most of the pieces from last year’s offense, which was already one of the best in the league. The reason they missed the playoffs for a second consecutive season was that the defense was probably the worst in franchise history. There’s no reason to think the offense won’t still be at the top of the league in Schottenheimer’s second season calling plays. Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, George Pickens, Javonte Williams and Jake Ferguson are all still in place.
But the defense must close the gap. Not enough was done in free agency to say that has come close to happening. A good argument can be made that the Cowboys should spend all of their draft picks on defense. Trading their two premium picks only to get better on offense seems like a good way to miss the playoffs for a third consecutive season.
Also, Love was available at the No. 12 pick during The Athletic’s most recent beat writer mock, where each reporter picked for the team they cover. While the addition of Love would make the Dallas offense must-see TV every week, the roster just isn’t in a position to make that move. There are significant needs at all three levels of the defense.
Could the Dallas Cowboys afford to trade up for Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love during the NFL Draft’s first round? (Michael Clubb / South Bend Tribune / USA Network via Imagn Images)
Mock draft No. 3
Dane Brugler, The Athletic’s NFL Draft expert, had Dallas selecting LSU cornerback Mansoor Delane and Auburn defensive lineman Keldrick Faulk with its two first-round picks.
That’s a much more likely scenario for the Cowboys. They get an immediate starting corner to pair with DaRon Bland, Shavon Revel Jr., Cobie Durant and others. They also get a defensive lineman with significant upside to pair with veterans like Gary, Quinnen Williams and Kenny Clark.
My projection
As of this week, we’ll go with Miami edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr. falling to pick No. 12. Then, Clemson cornerback Avieon Terrell is the choice at No. 20. Most mocks have Bain going in the top 10. Still, a slide shouldn’t be completely ruled out because of his 30 7/8-inch arms, much shorter than usual for a top 10 pick edge defender. To compare, Gary’s arms measured at 34 1/8 inches before the 2019 draft. Ezeiruaku’s arms measured at 34 inches entering the 2025 draft.
Terrell is the brother of Atlanta Falcons cornerback A.J. Terrell, a player Dallas was interested in during the 2020 draft. He went one pick before the Cowboys selected Lamb. Similar to Delane, Avieon Terrell would upgrade the Dallas cornerback room with an immediate Day 1 starter.
In a trade back scenario at No. 20, Georgia linebacker CJ Allen or Texas Tech linebacker Jacob Rodriguez would make sense. Inside linebacker is by far Dallas’ biggest need. But pick No. 20 might be too rich for either. The Cowboys don’t have a second-round pick. Neither is expected to fall anywhere near Dallas’ next pick, which is No. 92, late in the third round.
