The Dallas Cowboys are one of four teams that hold multiple first-round picks in the 2026 NFL Draft. And with the Cowboys already having their franchise quarterback and most of their offense in place, this should be a very straightforward draft for them.
The expectation is that both of their first-round picks next year will be on defense, and that makes sense considering how much help that unit needs moving forward.
But how the Cowboys decide to address their defense will be fascinating to watch. They could use help on all three levels, and luckily for them, this class has a lot of talent on the defensive side of the ball. Do they load up on lower-value positions like linebacker and safety, which have been problematic? Or do they continue to invest in pass rushers and cornerbacks?
The biggest needs for the Cowboys going into the 2026 offseason are linebacker and defensive end. The development of Donovan Ezeiruaku over the last few months has been fun to watch, but they need another young EDGE to pair with him moving forward.
Cowboys come away with two studs in new ESPN mock draft
However, linebacker might be the more pressing need as Kenneth Murray, Logan Wilson, Jack Sanborn, and Marist Liufau have all been disappointing this season. DeMarvion Overshown is set to enter the final year of his rookie contract in 2026 and there is no way the Cowboys can trust him moving forward given his injury history.
That’s why it wouldn’t be a shock to see the Cowboys use their first selection on a linebacker. The value might line up better that way, especially in the middle of Round 1. And one target that the Cowboys could have their eyes on is Sonny Styles, a converted safety from Ohio State. In a recent mock draft by ESPN's Field Yates, that is who he had the Cowboys selecting in Round 1.
"(Styles) has outstanding length, movement skills and range at the second level. And on top of the coverage skills from his time at safety, Styles can be an effective blitzer when called upon; he had 6.0 sacks during Ohio State's national title run last season. Styles could thrive in any defensive circumstance for the Cowboys, who just boosted their linebacker room with the return of DeMarvion Overshown and addition of Logan Wilson."
Styles is a freak athlete with rare size and speed. While he’s not the cleanest prospect, he would be a major upgrade for the Cowboys in the middle of their defense. There is just no way he’ll make it to the 20s, which is where the second first-round pick for Dallas is expected to land from Green Bay.
But the 2026 draft is loaded with pass-rush talent, and the Cowboys could still find a long-term answer at defensive end late in Round 1. In Yates’ mock draft, Dallas selected Damon Wilson, a long, athletic pass rusher from Missouri. Here is what Yates had to say about that pick later in the first round:
"Wilson has very good length, first-step quickness and torque to bend the edge. He also brought it in big games this season, with four sacks against teams ranked in the top 10. After shoring up their interior defensive line by trading for Quinnen Williams, Wilson could be a game changer on the edge for the Cowboys."
The Cowboys need to come out of the 2026 NFL Draft with at least two Day 1 starters on defense. And if they can find them at defensive end and linebacker, that would be ideal.
Styles and Wilson are two early names to watch as they have both been frequently mocked to the Cowboys early in the process. And given their needs at that position, don’t expect that to stop anytime soon.