The Dallas Cowboys are guaranteed to be drafting a linebacker at some point early on in the 2026 NFL Draft. The only question remaining is who is the apple of Jerry Jones' eye. Sonny Styles will likely be off the board when they're on the clock, so CJ Allen, Anthony Hill, and Jacob Rodriguez are the viable options.
It seems like anyone's guess, and now that we are less than three weeks away from Day 1, we finally might be receiving some answers... assuming they aren't a smokescreen. Cowboys' reporter Clarence Hill Jr. hinted on DLLS Cowboys that Rodriguez may be emerging as the new leader in the clubhouse.
We know how Jones feels about local talents, and having played at Texas Tech, Rodriguez is as local as they come. The 23-year-old was the heartbeat of a Red Raider defense that marched all the way to the College Football Playoff, making him an ideal leader for Christian Parker's revamped unit.
There's a real shot the Dallas Cowboys draft Texas Tech star Jacob Rodriguez
After their first-round picks at 12th and 20th overall, Dallas doesn't pick again until pick 92, so unless Jones is looking at using a first-round pick on Rodriguez, they're either in the market to trade back from 20 or reach a little bit on him.
The Cowboys' interest in Anthony Hill has been well-documented, but the Allen discourse subsided when some medical concerns came up during Georgia's Pro Day. However, Rodriguez deserves his flowers in conversations with them, as he was the unquestioned most productive LB in the country in 2025.
Not only did he record 128 total tackles in 2025, but he generated a staggering 11 takeaways en route to a laundry list of accolades, including a fifth place finish in Heisman voting, winning the Butkus Award, the Chuck Bednarik Award, the Bronco Nagurski Trophy and being named an All-American.
Rodriguez may not be a freak athlete like Hill or Allen, but his instincts and IQ more than make up for that. He is able to make plays all over the football field, so even though he needs to put on weight to face off against NFL competition, his track record should be easy for a front office to fall in love with.
It’s baffling that he isn’t being considered a potential surprise first-round pick, especially given Dallas’ lack of draft capital. He checks every box teams look for in a modern linebacker.