As the 2026 NFL Draft gets closer, everyone is wondering what the Dallas Cowboys will do with their two first-round picks. Currently possessing picks No. 12 and No. 20, Dallas should be able to land some exciting prospects on night one.
However, good draft classes are built throughout all seven rounds, and the Cowboys could add a player on Day 2 who fans will instantly love.
That player is Texas linebacker Anthony Hill Jr., and he was recently highlighted by ESPN draft analyst Matt Miller as a prospect outside of the first round who could fill a need for Dallas.
In addition to Hill being a good linebacker, he played his college ball with the Texas Longhorns and grew up in Denton, Texas. Those three qualities should help the linebacker instantly win over fans if Dallas drafts him.
Texas linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. is a logical fit for the Dallas Cowboys
Reporter Todd Archer explained that regardless of what happens leading up to the draft, Dallas will need another linebacker on the roster — either as a starter or in a depth role. Understanding that need, Miller made the case that Hill is everything the Cowboys are looking for in a linebacker.
"Dallas is looking for speed and playmaking ability in the middle of the defense, and that's Hill to a T. The three-year starter had 17 sacks and three interceptions at Texas. Hill is capable enough as a pass rusher that some scouts think he could move there full-time in the future."
The homegrown defender offers versatility and playmaking, and he could be an instant starter for a Cowboys defense that desperately needs athletic playmakers. While Hill is, hopefully, already on Dallas’ radar, there is one problem with the team targeting him on Day 2: the Cowboys don’t have a second-round pick.
Hill is ranked as one of the five-best off-ball linebackers in the class, and he’s projected to be a Day 2 pick. That could be as early as the second round, where Dallas isn’t set to pick. As things currently stand, the Cowboys will pick at No. 12 and No. 20, then they won’t be back on the clock until the third round with the 92nd-overall pick.
That means Dallas will either hope that Anthony Hill Jr. falls, trade up to get him, or be lucky to draft him in a potential trade-down scenario in Round 1.
It won't be easy, but it's possible.
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