We are just four months removed from the 2026 NFL Draft, which could end up being a transformative draft for the Dallas Cowboys. The early returns on Caleb Downs, Malachi Lawrence, Jaishawn Barham, and LT Overton have been incredibly strong, and all four defenders are expected to have key roles in the upcoming season.
If Dallas wants to get back to becoming an annual contender, they will need to continue drafting well. With college football set to begin this weekend, there isn’t a better time to start preparing for the 2027 class. And there is one obvious position that Cowboys fans should be paying close attention to throughout the upcoming season.
Cowboys select Georgia's Chris Cole in 2027 mock draft to address LB need
One of the best NFL Draft gurus in the space right now is Jordan Reid from ESPN. No one has a better pulse on who the top players are going into the college football season than he does and he revealed his latest 2027 mock draft on Wednesday morning.
Reid had the Cowboys (at pick No. 24) picking Georgia LB Chris Cole, who played alongside CJ Allen last season. There was plenty of discussion about the Cowboys selecting Allen in the first round, including from Brian Schottenheimer, but they ultimately went with Malachi Lawrence instead.
Reid has the Cowboys addressing their linebacker need in Round 1 with Cole. Here is what he had to say about the SEC star going into the 2026 season:
"Cole is set to be the next of the long line of quality linebackers that Georgia has produced under Kirby Smart. At 6-foot-3, 235 pounds, he has the size, range and physicality that teams covet. Cole needs to improve his take-on strength in the box and coverage awareness but would be a nice fit in Dallas, especially with Dee Winters set to be a free agent after the season."
Reid mentions that Winters is a free agent after the 2026 season, but so is DeMarvion Overshown. And while the expectation is that one of the two will likely be back next season, that is not a guarantee by any stretch. Dallas is very excited about the long-term prospects of Jaishawn Barham, but they will need someone to pair him with moving forward.
Chris Cole could be Jaishawn Barham's long-term partner
Cole is currently Dane Brugler’s No. 22 ranked player in the 2027 NFL Draft and the No. 2-ranked linebacker behind only Sammy Brown (Clemson). Cole led Georgia in sacks last season with 4.5, and the expectation is that he will rush the passer even more in 2026.
While Cole is still learning how to be an every-down off-ball linebacker, his skills as a blitzer would make him a very intriguing fit in Christian Parker’s defense. Parker likes to use his linebackers to create pressure, and that’s what ultimately sold Dalla on Barham in Round 3.
There is a little bit of overlap with Cole and Barham, but you can never have enough pressure players and Cole could really blossom now that he will be a full-time player in 2026.
Linebackers usually don’t go early in Round 1, but elite prospects can fall to the 20s, which is where Dallas is likely to pick, considering they will have the lower of the Packers/Cowboys pick next year.
Keep a close eye on Cole throughout the college football season, as linebacker will clearly be a point of interest for the Cowboys next year, and Cole seems like a very likely target.
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