The Dallas Cowboys have zero margin for error in the 2026 NFL Draft. With multiple holes on the defensive side of the ball after free agency and needing to get over the hump while Dak Prescott is still playing at a high level, Dallas must ace this draft.
Momentum has been building for the Cowboys to trade up from the No. 12 pick. In their most recent mock drafts, experts Mel Kiper (ESPN) and Dane Brugler (The Athletic) both projected Dallas to jump to No. 6 in a trade with the Cleveland Browns for Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles.
Various insiders are hearing that Dallas is a team to watch in trade-up scenarios. There seems to be a fire forming near this smoke, but the feeling isn't unanimous.
Appearing on the Inside Coverage podcast, Yahoo reporter Charles Robinson said he's heard the opposite about the Cowboys eyeing a move up from No. 12.
"Those two first-round picks, they feel like they can get contributing players. They feel good about getting players who might not be instantaneous starters, but can come in immediately and contribute to the 2026 team, and that's what they need."
It's no guarantee that the Dallas Cowboys trade up in the NFL Draft
Talk about pouring a bucket of ice water on Cowboys fans' excitement. While frustrating, Robinson's report makes a lot of sense.
The No. 3 player on FanSided's Big Board, Sonny Styles is the most polished linebacker in the '26 class. A physical specimen at 6-5 and 244 pounds who had one of the best combines you will ever see, Styles could wear the green dot as Dallas' field general from Day 1.
That said, he's not going to save the Cowboys' defense on his own, and it would likely take both first-round picks to move up and get him. This unit needs multiple impact players, and trading both firsts could prove detrimental, especially with Dallas not picking again until No. 92 in Round 3.
The Cowboys might not even have to trade up to land a defensive stud. If a lot of offensive players come off the board early, one of Caleb Downs, Mansoor Delane, or Rueben Bain may fall to 12. Who knows? Maybe the league overthinks positional value, and Styles slips out of the top 10.
If Dallas is hell-bent on moving up to secure one of the top defenders, the Chiefs (No. 9) and Saints (No. 8) stand out as possible trade partners. Given the modest jump, the Cowboys likely wouldn’t have to part with pick No. 20.
That's the ideal outcome. Again, this defense is more than a Sonny Styles away. If anything, Dallas should be looking for ways to acquire more picks -- not sacrifice them.
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