Matt Miller just gave Cowboys a reason to believe in dream draft outcome

If the fast-approaching 2026 NFL Draft has you feeling anxious, you're not alone. With two first-round picks and coming off back-to-back losing seasons for the first time since 2001-02, it's one of the most important drafts in recent Dallas Cowboys history.

Saddled with the No. 12 overall pick, it's impossible to project which prospects will be available for the Cowboys. They could see the board wiped clean to the point that trading back becomes a possibility, or get lucky and have a consensus stud fall in their lap.

With just two weeks until April 23, ESPN draft expert Matt Miller took a stab at predicting the fates of some of the household names in this year's class.

On top of believing that Ohio State stars Arvell Reese and Carnell Tate will be the first defender and wide receiver off the board, Miller thinks Tennessee cornerback Jermod McCoy will be the first cornerback taken, and Miami edge Rueben Bain will fall outside the top-10.

The Dallas Cowboys may not have to trade up in the 2026 NFL Draft after all

Miller's feeling that McCoy is CB1 is very notable if you're Dallas.

Both Brian Schottenheimer and Jerry Jones have said they can't afford to draft injured players, and while McCoy alleviated some concerns at his Pro Day, he still sat out the entire 2025 season recovering from a torn ACL.

Not only is DaRon Bland recovering from another left foot surgery, but 2025 third-round pick Shavon Revel probably should have red-shirted as a rookie. Coming off a torn ACL suffered in his final year at East Carolina, Revel suffered a setback in training camp and wore a knee brace upon returning that seemed to hinder his mobility.

LSU cornerback Mansoor Delane comes with far less risk than McCoy. Even if most evaluators prefer McCoy’s 2024 film over Delane’s 2025 tape, a healthy Pro Day may have been enough to vault McCoy into the CB1 spot, potentially pushing Delane toward Dallas.

Delane falling to No. 12 was once considered a pipe dream. He could still go inside the top 10 without raising any eyebrows, but Miller’s intel offers hope that he could slide. That would be a dream outcome.

Just as Rueben Bain falling outside the top 10 would be a dream come true.

Bain is arguably the best pass rusher in the '26 class, but teams may not even consider him due to his historically short arms. While a valid concern, Bain had elite production at Miami, racking up the second-most pressures (67) and most hurries (54) of any edge, with an 87.5 run-defense grade, per Pro Football Focus.

The former Hurricane has a compact frame at 263 pounds and plays with violent hands that allow him to drive back blockers, and he has the requisite bend to win around the corner. He hasn't let his length slow him down yet, because he knows how to win in a variety of ways.

Choosing between Delane and Bain wouldn’t be easy, but the Cowboys should be doing backflips if that’s the decision they’re faced with on draft night.