FRISCO, Texas – In just over a month, the clock will start ticking for the 2026 NFL Draft in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
It won't be until the first 11 picks go off the board that the Cowboys will be on the clock for their first of two first-round picks at 12th and 20th overall. It's the first time Dallas has had two first-round selections since 2008, and the team understands the weight of getting the picks right.
"Having the opportunity to improve the team with two first-round picks is going to be huge," Cowboys VP of player personnel Will McClay said at the 2026 Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama. "Looking at the talent out here, and depending on where it goes, having the opportunity and the flexibility with that is good as we try to rebuild the team and add stuff to it."
So that begs the question: What will the Cowboys do with the 12th and 20th overall picks? In this week's Mock Draft Monday, here's a look at who draft analysts have Dallas taking:
12th: Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU
"In the history of their franchise, the Cowboys have drafted only one LSU cornerback (Morris Claiborne) – and it didn't go well.
Delane doesn't have elite size or speed (we will see if he runs a 40 before the draft), but he has an outstanding feel for coverage in man or zone, anticipating and driving on routes."
20th: Keldric Faulk, EDGE, Auburn
"The Cowboys addressed their secondary at No. 12 in this mock, and they add an edge rusher here.
One of the youngest prospects in the class, Faulk will enter the league as a physical edge setter with a developing pass-rush arsenal."
12th: Keldric Faulk, EDGE, Auburn
"Faulk has impressive size at 6-foot-5 7/8 and 276 pounds with 34 3/8-inch arms. He can play base end on early downs before reducing inside to mismatch guards with his pass rush. The upside trumps the underwhelming 2025 production."
25th (proposed trade with Chicago Bears): Colton Hood, CB, Tennessee
"Hood is an aggressive press cornerback capable of handling his business both in coverage and as a run defender who loves to get after it. The Cowboys could use that type of player -- and in this trade-down scenario, they add an extra pick for good measure."
16th (proposed trade with New York Jets): Dillon Thieneman, S, Oregon
"The Cowboys gave up the most points per game in the NFL last season (30.1) and the third-most yards per contest (377.0). They started to remake their secondary last season, and adding Thieneman, an active defender with positional and scheme versatility, would continue that process. Dallas specializes in two-high safety looks, and Thieneman is an excellent processor who can close on plays in a hurry. Dallas forced only 12 turnovers in 2025, and Thieneman has the ability to be a ball hawk while bringing physicality when stepping down against the run."
20th: Avieon Terrell, CB, Clemson
"After taking Dillon Thieneman earlier, the Cowboys double dip in the secondary with Terrell, a prospect who scouts keep saying should go higher than expected. His physical mentality and competitive demeanor are easy to see, and he had one of the better on-field workouts of any corner at the combine. The Cowboys have holes to fill in the secondary around standout corner DaRon Bland, and Terrell would fit perfectly in the back end of new coordinator Christian Parker's scheme."
12th: Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State
"This is exactly what I had the Cowboys doing in my first mock draft. I think Downs is good enough to be drafted earlier than this, but he might get hurt by positional value. Still, Downs is sensational and could elevate a Dallas defense that was the worst in scoring this past season. Ohio State's entire defense was built around Downs, winning a national championship as a result. Jerry Jones, don't overthink it."
20th: Jermod McCoy, CB, Tennessee
"This is exactly what I had the Cowboys doing in my first mock draft. I think Downs is good enough to be drafted earlier than this, but he might get hurt by positional value. Still, Downs is sensational and could elevate a Dallas defense that was the worst in scoring this past season. Ohio State's entire defense was built around Downs, winning a national championship as a result. Jerry Jones, don't overthink it."
12th: Dillon Thieneman, S, Oregon
"There was pre-combine talk of what Thieneman was capable of athletically, and he proved it all correct in Indianapolis. A 4.35-second 40-yard dash with a 41-inch vertical jump at 6 feet and 201 pounds verified the athletic ability of a player who shows incredible range in both coverage and run defense."
20th: Avieon Terrell, CB, Clemson
"Terrell weighed in at 5-foot-11 and 186 pounds with 31-inch arms. That was big for him, even if he didn't do all the athletic tests. He is one of the more tenacious cornerbacks in the class from a coverage and run-game standpoint, and he would be a very good addition to Dallas' secondary."
