It's all but confirmed that the Dallas Cowboys are going to invest heavily in their defense in the 2026 NFL Draft, but the only thing we don't know is which prospects they have their eye on. But we should know who they don't have their eye on based on the prospects who have concerning medical history.
Reports out of the Combine suggest Dallas won't be drafting Tennessee cornerback Jermod McCoy, who did not play at all in 2025 as he recovered from a torn ACL. Another star player may now be thrown into that same bucket.
Mel Kiper’s latest mock draft pairing of Georgia linebacker CJ Allen with the Cowboys has quickly picked up momentum. However, that buzz may not last long given the injury concerns that have surfaced in recent weeks.
According to ESPN’s Jordan Reid, Allen only took part in positional drills at Georgia’s Pro Day and skipped testing due to knee swelling stemming from a minor procedure to repair a torn meniscus suffered in mid-November.
#Georgia LB CJ Allen only participated in positional drills today at Pro Day. He did not participate in testing because of swelling in his knee, per sources. During the season, Allen had a minor procedure for a meniscus tear that he suffered in mid-November. Scouts were…
— Jordan Reid (@Jordan_Reid) March 18, 2026
The Dallas Cowboys may take Georgia linebacker CJ Allen off their draft board
Since it seems unlikely that Ohio State's Sonny Styles will be on the board for Dallas at pick 12, Allen could be the best LB available. He's firmly entrenched as LB2 in this draft, but instead of being a top 20 pick, you have to wonder if this development pushes him out of Round 1.
Reid also reported that scouts were impressed by Allen's drill work, but the medicals cast a dark cloud on that. If teams are impressed enough with his drills and his tape at Georgia, maybe he could still be in consideration, but not for the Cowboys' front office, which can't afford drafting more redshirt players.
The 21-year-old Allen was a consensus All-American in 2025 and was a captain for the Bulldogs in each of the last two seasons. He is solid in coverage and boasts solid sideline-to-sideline instincts that would make him an exciting partner for DeMarvion Overshown.
Allen has shades of former Georgia linebackers Roquan Smith, Nakobe Dean, and Quay Walker in his game, which is why he led the team with 88 tackles, 3.5 sacks, and eight tackles for loss in 2025. For a Cowboys team who struck out on Dean in free agency, he would provide some needed help at LB.
However, if the medicals are really an issue, they need to look past all of the positives and bark down a different tree. At that point, someone like Texas' Anthony Hill Jr. or Texas Tech's Jacob Rodriguez would be a better fit for Dallas on Day 2 of the draft.
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