<\/p>\n
There will be several Dallas Cowboys mock drafts in the coming weeks where we will make picks for all seven rounds. However, this one is all about the first round, as the Cowboys have two first-round picks and none in the second or third rounds because of their trades for All-Pro wide receiver George Pickens and four-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Quinnen Williams.<\/p>\n
The Pro Football Focus mock draft simulator was used for this exercise with thoughts of potentially trading back with one selection to gain additional picks.<\/p>\n
Here\u2019s how things unfolded.<\/p>\n
To make the best possible decision with these picks, we used Dane Brugler\u2019s recently published top 100 draft rankings as our big board. The Athletic<\/em>\u2019s NFL Draft expert has Delane ranked No. 7 overall and as the top cornerback in the class. When we spoke with Brugler in late December about some of the Cowboys\u2019 biggest draft needs, Delane\u2019s name was discussed.<\/p>\n \u201cHis size is fine, but it\u2019s not great,\u201d Brugler said at the time. \u201cHe has shorter arms. We\u2019ll see what he runs in the 40-yard dash.\u2029It\u2019ll probably be somewhere in the 4.4s. But I don\u2019t think another corner had better tape this year at the college level than Delane. He\u2019s sticky in coverage, man or zone, it doesn\u2019t matter. He has a real good feel for route combinations. He has a real good feel for what the offense is trying to do, so he can position himself and make plays on the ball.\u201d<\/p>\n It\u2019s no secret that the Cowboys need significant defensive help in all areas except for defensive tackle. They\u2019re coming off a season where their top cornerbacks didn\u2019t come close to playing to expectations. Trevon Diggs was released before the end of the season. DaRon Bland suffered another serious foot injury. Kaiir Elam, their top veteran cornerback addition last offseason, was waived in November after playing in 10 games.<\/p>\n Bland is still part of the starting plan, as is rookie Shavon Revel. There are a lot of questions that follow. New defensive coordinator Christian Parker\u2019s specialty is the defensive backfield. He\u2019ll likely be looking to improve that area both in free agency and the draft.<\/p>\n The Cowboys have previously been focused on length when it comes to drafting cornerbacks early, usually wanting at least 32-inch arms. But could they be willing to adjust that thinking for a player as impressive as Delane, who had two interceptions and 11 passes defended last season for the Tigers?<\/p>\n Brugler\u2019s No. 2 cornerback is Tennessee\u2019s Jermod McCoy, who went off the board right before the Cowboys went on the clock. The biggest issue with McCoy is that he didn\u2019t play last season because of a significant knee injury from last January. Revel is working his way back from that injury which forced him to play this season with a knee brace. Bland\u2019s consecutive foot issues are also a concern. Do the Cowboys really want to use the 12th overall pick on another cornerback with potential injury concerns?<\/p>\n \u201cAt the combine, he\u2019ll be 13 months removed from the ACL injury, so you will have a good idea of the rehab and how it\u2019s looking when the medical staff looks at the knee,\u201d Brugler said in December. \u201cSo, there\u2019s a little bit less guesswork with him compared to some of these other guys that are coming off injury, and you have to kind of figure out, we know he\u2019s a good player, but how do we factor in the injury and where do we draft him? With McCoy, you get a Texas kid, 6-foot, 195 pounds. He was kind of overlooked, but he was a two-time state champion in track, a big-time baseball player. He went to Oregon State and had a really good freshman year, and then he transferred to Tennessee. He had a really good sophomore year last year.\u201d<\/p>\n McCoy had four interceptions and seven passes defended in 2024 for the Volunteers.<\/p>\n Other top players still available at Pick 12: Miami OT Francis Mauigoa, Auburn DE Keldric Faulk, Alabama OT Kadyn Proctor, Clemson CB Avieon Terrell, Miami DE Akheem Mesidor.<\/p>\n Mauigoa and Proctor being available is somewhat interesting only because we\u2019re talking about the Cowboys, who have used three of their last four first-round picks on the offensive line. There could be some moving pieces with that group. They could still look to make a move to improve at right or left tackle. It just seems a bit much when there are so many holes at edge rusher, linebacker and defensive back for what was arguably the worst defense in franchise history.<\/p>\n Keldric Faulk had two sacks, five tackles for loss and defended four passes last season at Auburn. (Bryan Terry \/ Imagn Images)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n This is the pick Dallas received in the Micah Parsons trade. Edge rusher is a massive need, considering last year\u2019s rookie Donovan Ezeiruaku is the only noteworthy piece they have at the position under contract. There\u2019s a decent chance that they\u2019ll be able to re-sign Jadeveon Clowney, but he turns 33 on Saturday. Trading back here would make a lot of sense. But we couldn\u2019t find a quality offer and decided to go with the player who was clearly the best available at the time from Brugler\u2019s board.<\/p>\n \u201cAt 6 feet 6 inches, 270 pounds with long arms, Faulk is an impressive athlete with experience lining up across the defensive line,\u201d Brugler wrote Tuesday. \u201cThere isn\u2019t a ton of deception in his rush attack, so he will need development time to realize his potential \u2014 there are more \u201calmost plays\u201d than \u201cimpact plays\u201d on his tape.<\/p>\n \u201cBut you absolutely bet on a 20-year-old talent with his traits. He has major upside. How early he\u2019s selected will depend on each team\u2019s appetite for risk.\u201d<\/p>\n A question here is also how his size could fit with what Parker is looking to do up front. Does Faulk fit his vision for the pass rush?<\/p>\n Mesidor was still available at this pick. So was Texas A&M\u2019s Cashius Howell and Clemson\u2019s T.J. Parker. Perhaps one of those players would be a better fit for the new Cowboys defense. Another notable player still on the board was Georgia linebacker CJ Allen.<\/p>\n Either way, Dallas was in position at both picks to add immediate impact starters to its defense. The big question the Cowboys will face is: Best player available or best defensive player available? Neither of these picks felt like a reach.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The Cowboys have a lot of needs, but exiting the first round with a starting cornerback and a pass rusher would be a positive step.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":43231,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[24],"class_list":["post-43230","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-dallas-cowboys","tag-dallas-cowboys"],"yoast_head":"\n\n\n![\"Cowboys](\"https:\/\/static01.nyt.com\/athletic\/uploads\/wp\/2026\/02\/10173340\/USATSI_27151799-scaled.jpg\")
<\/p>\n\nRound 1, No. 20<\/h2>\n
Keldric Faulk, DE, Auburn<\/h3>\n