Pick number 112 is not where the Cowboys need to chase a vanity pick, and it’s nice the team has a fourth round pick to play with. It is where they need to find a player with a real job. Dallas now owns eight picks, including number 92 in the third round and number 112 in the fourth. Christian Parker and Will McClay have talked the same way about building around traits and versatility, which is why this pick feels like the sweet spot for a hybrid defensive back, an interior defender, or one smart
offensive line value play.
Chandler Rivers, CB, Duke
If Rivers is still sitting there at 112, that should be the pick without a doubt. He is the cleanest schematic fit for what Dallas keeps describing. Rivers measured 5-foot-9 and 185 pounds, ran 4.40s in the forty, jumped 39 inches in the vertical which is insane, and then 130 inches in the broad, and put together a profile that looks built for space. With a combine like that there’s a chance he may be gone by the time Dallas gets on the clock in the fourth, but if he does slip into the fourth round the Cowboys should sprint the card in. He fits the modern slot role because he has the twitch, burst, and movement skills to survive in traffic instead of just looking the part in a straight line.
Jalon Kilgore, CB, South Carolina
If Rivers is gone, Kilgore is the next name to watch. He is exactly the kind of movable chess piece this defense should want more of, and he’s a Day 3 option for the Cooper DeJean-type role in Parker’s system. Here’s a guy at 6-foot-1.5, 210 pounds, ran a 4.40s forty, a 37-inch vertical, a 130-inch broad jump, and made 54 tackles, 10 pass breakups, and two interceptions in 2025. That gives Dallas a real safety-nickel hybrid instead of just another depth corner, and that kind of flexibility matters in a defense that wants disguise and movement.
Chris McClellan, DT, Missouri
McClellan is the trench answer if Dallas wants to keep feeding the front. After moving on from Osa Odighizuwa and Solomon Thomas, it would be surprising if the Cowboys got through the middle rounds without adding more interior help. McClellan looks like the kind of fourth-round target that makes sense because the value and the need line up. He is 6-foot-4 and 313 pounds, ran 5.05s int he forty, posted 25 bench reps, and followed that with 48 tackles and six sacks in 2025. His consensus rankings are right in the neighborhood at pick 112, and that is exactly the kind of board match Dallas should be looking for on Day 3.
Brian Parker II, OT, Duke
Parker is the one offensive detours that would make a lot of sense. He gives Dallas size, movement ability, and positional flexibility. Parker checked in at 6-foot-5.5 and 309 pounds, ran a forty in 5.14 seconds, put up 29 reps on the bench, and several evaluators have pointed to center or guard as his most likely NFL home. That is the kind of pick that usually ages well for Dallas. He may not be flashy, but smart offensive line depth never stays on the shelf for long, and Parker has the profile of a player who can become more valuable once he gets inside.
DeMonte Capehart, DT, Clemson
Capehart is the upside swing for anyone who wants more explosiveness on the interior. His testing numbers jump off the page at 6-foot-5, 313 pounds, 4.85s in the forty, a 33.5-inch vertical, and long arms. The production was lighter than McClellan’s, which is why Capehart feels more like a bet on tools than polish, but that is not a bad gamble in the fourth round when the athletic profile is this obvious. If Dallas wants to trust its coaching staff and bet on traits, Capehart is the kind of name that belongs in the discussion.
Kaleb Elarms-Orr, LB, TCU
And if the Cowboys get to 112 without touching linebacker, Elarms-Orr is the speed bet that makes sense. He is 6-foot-2 and 234 pounds, ran 4.47s in the forty, posted a 40-inch vertical, and piled up 130 tackles with four sacks and 11 tackles for loss last year. He is generally viewed as a Day 3 prospect, which makes him a reasonable fit for this range, and he checks the boxes Dallas should care about at linebacker right now. He has range, urgency, and enough athletic juice to survive in space.
Who would you take out of this group?
