There haven't been many times over the last couple of years when Dallas Cowboys fans have called Jerry Jones a genius (and for good reason), but he finally has a chance to shed the negative labels in the 2026 NFL Draft, especially considering that Dallas has two first-round picks at its disposal.
This means that there's double the opportunity for Jones to draft a stud, and a good chance Dallas is able to hit on both picks, which would help him return that genius label. In ESPN's Jordan Reid's new mock draft, not only does he have the Cowboys landing two instant impact defenders, he has them trading down and adding more draft capital in the process.
Instead of sticking and picking at 12th overall, Reid had the Cowboys trade down with the New York Jets, where they fall just four picks to No. 16. In this scenario, the Jets land USC receiver Makai Lemon with Dallas' pick, while the Cowboys picked up two extra selections.
Reid has Dallas adding a fourth and a seventh-rounder from the Jets to move down, but this genius scenario gets even richer when you see who the Cowboys draft. Reid mocked Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman at 16 and Clemson DB Aveion Terrell at 20.
Dallas Cowboys fans should do backflips if team drafts Dillon Thieneman and Aveion Terrell
With new defensive coordinator Christian Parker coming to town, fixing the secondary has been a point of emphasis in The Star. The Cowboys ranked dead last in pass defense in 2025, so giving Parker (someone with a background coaching DBs) more to work with is a step in the right direction.
Not taking a pass-rusher in the first round is far from the most popular draft scenario, but, weirdly enough, it makes sense. DaRon Bland needs a running mate, and the Dallas secondary needs playmakers who will help turn this unit around. This is where both Thieneman and Terrell come in.
The only reason that Thieneman isn't the top safety in this draft class is because of Caleb Downs, and even then, he still deserves to be drafted inside the top 20. He's versatile, a freak athlete, and would be able to do a little bit of everything for this Dallas defense because of his range and elite instincts.
Thieneman's draft stock increased drastically in 2025, so after he lit up the combine, it's easy to see why he would be a perfect Cowboy. Donovan Wilson is likely a goner in free agency, so trading down and drafting an All-American safety to replace him would be one of Jerry Jones' biggest wins of the offseason.
As for Terrell, he's the younger brother of Atlanta Falcons' cornerback A.J. Terrell, and is primed to follow in the footsteps of his big bro. He's an elite press-man corner, making him a great fit for Parker's scheme, and has the versatility to line up both inside and out, which is rare for a top CB prospect.
And he doesn't have the medical red flags that other corners do.
If the Cowboys were able to trade down and still come away with this type of haul in 2026, Jerry Jones will have done a lot of work to re-gain the support of the fanbase after the Micah Parsons trade.