Things have gone so poorly for the Dallas Cowboys and defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus in the 2025 season that if Jerry Jones decided to use every pick at his disposal in the 2026 NFL Draft on defensive players, many members of this fanbase would be in lockstep with his thought process.
The Cowboys are armed with two first-round picks in 2026 due to the Micah Parsons trade, which could put them in a position to fix the hole they created for themselves with two players who should start right away.
ESPN's Jordan Reid had the Cowboys using the No. 12 overall selection on Texas Tech edge rusher David Bailey, who has been rocketing up draft boards due to his combination of blazing speed and athletic ability that lets him bend around the edge. The defensive remaking didn't stop there.
With the No. 29 pick, acquired from Green Bay in the Parsons deal, the Cowboys are projected to select Florida defensive tackle Caleb Banks. Both of these players should start right away, replacing disappointing draft picks from past years like Sam Williams and Mazi Smith.
Cowboys projected to draft David Bailey, Caleb Banks in 2026 NFL Mock Draft
Bailey is currently leading college football in sacks, as the former Stanford transfer has emerged as a player that can get to the quarterback with ease. He is no Micah Parsons, but the Cowboys could pair him with many of their other quality young pass rushers.
Bailey's biggest issues are almost exclusively in run defense, which could make him difficult to play alongside fellow diminutive pass rusher Donovan Ezieruaku at the same time.
Banks is benefitting from a week interior defensive line class, as he and Oregon's A'Mauri Washington are the only prospects who have first-round buzz outside of the consensus top 10 pick in Clemson's Peter Woods. While he is injured, Banks is a people-mover with years of experience as a tone-setting playmaker in the Gators' defense.
This Cowboys defense is so bad without Parsons that it might need two offseasons to fix entirely. If nothing else, Bailey and Banks are two high-ceiling players who have the physical traits needed to make a name for themselves in the pros if they get proper coaching.