The Dallas Cowboys are widely expected to use at least one of their 2026 first-round picks on pass rush help next April. And luckily for them, this upcoming draft is loaded with EDGE rush talent coming in all shapes and sizes.
But what Dallas really needs is someone who can win off the edge with speed and quickness. The hope is that Donovan Ezeiruaku will eventually become that player, but they need even more juice off the edge. And there is one specific player in the 2026 NFL Draft who could provide that for them next season.
Cashius Howell is the ideal Round 1 pick for the Cowboys
In a recent mock draft done by Rob Rang of Fox Sports, he had the Cowboys selecting two defensive players in Round 1. The most notable pick was Cashius Howell, a pass rusher from Texas A&M at pick No. 15. Here is a snippet as to why Rang believes that Howell could be a perfect fit in Dallas:
"No individual rusher in this class is going to make the Cowboys forget about Micah Parsons (or DeMarcus Lawrence for that matter), but scouts in Dallas won’t have to venture far to find quality defenders capable of helping turn around the league’s leakiest defense. Howell flashed at Bowling Green, and while serving as an oft-used and versatile backup for Texas A&M a year ago. But the passionate defender has emerged as a verifiable star for the Aggies this season, leading the SEC with 9.5 sacks through eight games."Rob Rang, Fox Sports
There is a lot to like about Howell including his multiple years of production and a wicked first step. He’s got all of the juice to be an impactful pass rusher in the NFL, but the biggest knock on him are his short arms. According to Dane Brugler of The Athletic, Howell’s arms measured under 31” during spring workouts and that would be among the smallest in combine history for a pass rusher.
How much does arm length matter for defensive ends? That’s up for debate, but several of the top pass rushers in the league (Micah Parsons, Trey Hendrickson, Aidan Hutchinson, Nik Bonitto, etc.) all have well-below-average arm lengths. Howell’s arm length will be an all-time outlier, but his production in the SEC has been unmatched. His ability to bend and turn the corner is reminiscent of another undersized Texas A&M pass rusher: Von Miller
The Cowboys will be turning over every stone to find more help at defensive end, and Howell appears to be a likely target going into the 2026 NFL Draft. His lack of size will prohibit him from being a top 10 selection, but that might work out in Dallas’s favor next April.
Keep an eye on him throughout the remainder of the college football season, as Howell should be on the short list of targets for the Cowboys in Round 1. He might not be Von Miller, but it's hard to ignore the production and the film.