The mock drafts continue to roll right along. With all 32 teams in the NFL now officially into the offseason, the NFL draft is squarely in focus for everyone. Obviously there are things to tend to between now and then, but you get the point.
Certain mock drafts are worth paying more attention to than others and one author who is worth following in this capacity is ESPN’s Field Yates. Field is among the more plugged-in analysts covering the draft and we can discern a bit more from what he offers.
Yates
dropped a new mock on Wednesday and has a very popular pair of players headed to the Cowboys.
12. Dallas Cowboys
Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State
Dallas’ offseason should be filled with defensive reinforcements, as the roster was imbalanced in 2025. Styles, who started as a safety at Ohio State, fits the mold of a modern NFL linebacker with his sideline-to-sideline range and ability to drop into coverage. He showed plenty of blitzing prowess in 2024 with six sacks, blending timing and instincts with his length and easy acceleration.
There are few 2026 prospects with as much versatility as Styles, who played under longtime NFL defensive coordinator Matt Patricia this past season. New Cowboys defensive coordinator Christian Parker would love to have Styles as a building block in his scheme. After all, Dallas allowed 6.1 yards per play last season, second worst in the NFL behind the Bengals.
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20. Dallas Cowboys (via GB)
Keldric Faulk, Edge, Auburn
Let’s keep the Cowboys’ defensive theme going with Faulk, who could help bolster a pass rush that tied for 22nd in total sacks this past season. Faulk was in the conversation as a top-10 prospect after seven sacks in 2024, but he had just two in 2025. This pick would be a calculated bet on his upside at 6-foot-6, 280 pounds with smooth movement skills, stout hands to set the edge in the running game and overall growth potential. Faulk is among the youngest players in the draft, as he won’t turn 21 until Sept. 7.
Most mocks these days tend to start with the Cowboys taking Ohio State’s Sonny Styles at 12 overall. The common theme is obviously defense as Dallas struggled mightily on that side of the ball last year.
Auburn’s Keldric Faulk is also a name that we see quite often. The Cowboys are still trying to replace Micah Parsons on some level, and while his age is a huge pro on his behalf, the lack of production last year has a lot of people startled.
It feels very fair to assume that Dallas is going to go heavy on defense throughout the draft, but obviously that will be impacted by what they do (and do not do) in free agency. We know the Cowboys have needs all over the defense, but if they shore that up with veterans then they give themselves a lot more flexibility.
Would you be happy with this draft?
