The Dallas Cowboys are officially in offseason mode now and in the process of trying to figure out how to make sure that they are playing football this time next year instead of watching it. Whether or
not they are able to pull this off is obviously a massive question.
While the Cowboys have to find a new defensive coordinator after Matt Eberflus’ firing and other potential staff moves, they will spend a lot of time this offseason addressing their roster. They have in-house decisions to make about players like George Pickens, Jadeveon Clowney, Javonte Williams, Brandon Aubrey, so on and so forth, and eventually they will reach the NFL draft.
ESPN has Dallas double-dipping on defense in the first round
We are all going to consume an inordinate amount of mock drafts as the offseason rolls along and they will feature the Cowboys doing a variety of things. For now we know that Dallas’ own pick will be number 12 overall and we will officially know where their second (by way of the Green Bay Packers) will be whenever the Packers are eliminated from the playoffs.
ESPN’s Jordan Reid recently put together a mock draft and has Green Bay picking at number 25. Here is what he has Dallas doing with their selections.
12. Dallas Cowboys (7-9-1)
Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State
The Cowboys desperately need defensive help, and Styles would give them a building block at the spine of their defense, which allowed a league-high 30.1 points per game in 2025. He would be a massive upgrade to Kenneth Murray Jr., who struggled in every way imaginable this season after being acquired from the Titans. Styles plays an attacking style that uses his excellent instincts, range and awareness. He’s a wrap-up-and-finish run defender and an able blitzer (six sacks in 2024) who can create negative plays in the backfield.
25. Dallas Cowboys (from 9-7-1 GB)
Jermod McCoy, CB, Tennessee*
McCoy did not play at all this season after suffering an ACL tear last January. That makes him a tough evaluation, as scouts have varying opinions on when he should come off the board, but one could argue that he had top-10 potential entering the season. While he won’t likely be that, the Cowboys need reinforcements at cornerback, especially after releasing former Pro Bowler Trevon Diggs. McCoy would be a worthy pick at this spot even with the knee injury questions, and the Cowboys have taken players in similar situations in the past (such as cornerback Shavon Revel Jr. last year).
Sonny Styles is a huge favorite among draft fans as he has had quite the career at the collegiate level. He would immediately elevate the linebacker play and be someone who could serve as a building block for the next several years. He’d also help DeMarvion Overshown command the middle of the defense. There is a lot to like about this idea.
Jermod McCoy would be a similar pick to Shavon Revel last year (as Reid notes) and that is a much more serious risk to take in the first round as opposed to the third. While McCoy is a special player, you can certainly argue that Dallas is in such a precarious position that they cannot take those kind of risks with their most valuable resources. The Cowboys need help at cornerback (they need help everywhere), but someone who isn’t as uncertain may make more sense.
