4 Dallas Cowboys who could lose their spot after the 2026 NFL Draft – Mark Heaney, Inside The Star
There are a lot of different directions this draft could go.
2. The Luke Schoonmaker Experiment May Finally End
I don’t know a single Cowboys fan who didn’t shake their head in disappointment when the team selected blocking tight end Luke Schoonmaker with their second-round pick in 2023.
Also a former Michigan Wolverine, Schoonmaker’s average all-around player profile in college has carried over to the NFL, and he has struggled to stand out in a tight end room headed by the now highly paid Jake Ferguson.
Realistically, he’s been passed up on the depth chart by Brevyn Spann-Ford as well
Cowboys will host Vanderbilt TE Eli Stowers on a 30 visit, according to @_RyanFowler_.
Dallas is also showing a lot of interest in this year’s tight end class in the draft; if they find a player they like, it’ll likely mean the end of Schoonmaker’s Cowboys career.
3. Markquese Bell Could Be Odd-Man-Out In Safety Room
A former Florida A&M product, Markquese Bell, has more than exceeded expectations as a Cowboy, but his tenure may be on the brink of ending.
This offseason, new defensive coordinator Christian Parker has, as expected, prioritized a secondary rebuild. Guys like Jalen Thompson, PJ Locke, Cobie Durant, and Derrion Kendrick have all joined the secondary, and veteran Malik Hooker was restructured to stay put, too.
Bell is one additional guy coming in away from being on the chopping block; Dallas can’t afford to pay him with that many cooks in the safety room’s kitchen.
If they draft Caleb Downs or Dillon Thieneman, it’s all but over for Bell in Dallas.
Cowboys reporter drops cold Jermod McCoy truth before NFL Draft – Jared A’Latorre, The Landy Hat
Dallas needs help immediately, and McCoy may not provide that.
Joseph Hoyt of The Dallas Morning News joined 105.3 The Fan with fellow Cowboys insider Bryan Broaddus and explained why the Cowboys should approach McCoy with caution, noting the team needs immediate contributors while McCoy still carries significant injury uncertainty.
“I understand the hesitation from the Cowboys. I don’t think they want redshirt players. I don’t think they want to use a top 12 pick on a guy that plays six games next year. I think that they need instant impact guys, and they need to be fully comfortable with a guy like McCoy that he could do it.”
The Dallas Cowboys may need to take Tennessee CB Jermod McCoy off their draft board
The bad news? Jones could still take a swing on McCoy as a fallback option. With LSU star cornerback Mansoor Delane boosting his stock after an impressive 40-yard dash, he may not be available at No. 12.
That would be a desperate move by Jones just to address cornerback. The need is real, but not enough to justify reaching for a player who may not be available for a full season, and may have long-term questions about his availability.
The Cowboys have already seen how this can go with Shavon Revel Jr. The East Carolina product returned late in the season from a torn ACL, but his rookie struggles made it clear he wasn’t fully ready. The talent is there, but the fundamentals and timing weren’t.
Cowboys bringing in former 4th-round pick ranked as a top under-the-radar deal- K.D. Drummond, Cowboys Wire
Jerry may made the right move on this one.
One such addition came later in free agency, and could turn out so well that Fox Sports included his signing as one of free agency’s top-10 under-the-radar acquisitions. Cornerbak Cobie Durant is coming over from the NFC West, and the former fourth-round pick lands at No. 9, even if the write-up gives a few pause moments.
9. Cobie Durant, CB, Dallas Cowboys (One year, $4 million)
A versatile, playmaking cornerback who mostly fills a need as a slot defender, Durant will not only be an upgrade to the Cowboys’ secondary, but he’ll improve the backend of their defense on a pretty valuable contract. Dallas signed Durant to a team-friendly deal that includes $1.5 million in guaranteed money. Durant has seven career interceptions, including two returned for four touchdowns in four NFL seasons.
Durant played in a multiple, 3-4 base scheme with the Rams, and should help as the Cowboys transition to a 3-4 scheme with new defensive coordinator Christian Parker. The Cowboys also signed Arizona Cardinals safety Jalen Thompson in free agency. The addition of Thompson and Durant provides experience and position flexibility in the back end defensively.
Cowboys Interested in Explosive 6-foot-3 WR Ahead of 2026 NFL Draft- Mike Moraitis, Sports Illustrated
Dallas doesn’t have to ignore the offensive side during the draft.
The Dallas Cowboys don’t have a dire need at wide receiver with CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens on the roster, but that hasn’t stopped Dallas from doing its homework at the position for the 2026 NFL draft.
One wide receiver the Cowboys are showing interest in is Texas Tech wideout Caleb Douglas, who told NFL Draft On SI’s Justin Melo that he has met with Dallas during the pre-draft process.
“I had a formal interview at the NFL Combine with the Pittsburgh Steelers,” Douglas told Melo. “I met on Zoom with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Cincinnati Bengals, and the Miami Dolphins, to name just a few. I’ve had meetings with the Dallas Cowboys, Carolina Panthers, and Jacksonville Jaguars.”
Douglas topped off his collegiate career with a pair of 800-yard seasons and scored 13 touchdowns in that span.
Daily Discussion Question: What prospect do you absolutely not want this year?
Hit the comments and let us know.
