Cowboys draft pick projections: Ranking 5 best combinations for Dallas' two Round 1 selections originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Dallas Cowboys are finally about to reap some of the benefits from their Micah Parsons trade before the 2025 season.
In that deal, the Cowboys landed the Green Bay Packers' 2026 first-round pick, which has turned into the No. 20 selection. Now, Jerry Jones and company are armed with two first-rounders, including No. 12, heading into the draft.
Trading up for a defensive star has been a speculated outcome for Dallas — and if so, a name like Sonny Styles or David Bailey could be attainable — but the team could also hold onto No. 12 and No. 20 to address multiple areas of its roster. For a franchise with clear defensive needs, the draft is expected to help shore-up some of last year's significant struggles.
Here's a look at five of the best scenarios for the Cowboys in how they use their two first-round picks at the 2026 NFL Draft.
One thing's for certain: the Cowboys need impact defenders. This is a team that had the NFL's second-best total offense in 2025 (391.9 yards per game), yet won just seven games due to a defense that allowed 377.0 yards per game, the third-worst mark in the league.
There's no better way for Dallas to rejuvenate its defense than adding one of the safest players in the draft, a star safety who can do a bit of everything, then a pass rusher coming off a 12.5-sack season in the ACC who can immediately contribute to a contender in 2026.
Caleb Downs is exactly the kind of player the Cowboys' secondary is missing. He's versatile, capable of stopping the run or providing elite coverage, can also go from a defensive leader at one nationally-recognized football brand to the next, and has the instincts the Cowboys' defense lacked in 2025. Downs can provide Dallas with a cornerstone safety for years to come.
The Cowboys expect to contend in 2026, as they do every year — their offense is good enough to win the division. The team needs high-impact, NFL ready defenders to complement its current roster, though. Downs is viewed as a player who can immediately contribute, and he'd join Malik Hooker and Jalen Thompson to form a strong safety room.
"One guy isn't going to fix the Cowboys defense."Yes...but Caleb Downs might get close. pic.twitter.com/tIHonuLomZ
Another NFL-ready player is Miami's Akeem Mesidor, who led the ACC in sacks last season, played six seasons of college football and brings power and ideal size to the pros. Considering Mesidor's experience for a national title contender, he can join the Cowboys as immediate help for a unit that managed just 35 sacks last season.
If Dallas is locked-in on 2026 contention, as it should be, then Downs and Mesidor are two realistic targets who can bring elite skillsets to the defense this coming season.
Akheem Mesidor is an electric EDGE prospect who may go round 1, despite injury and age concerns pic.twitter.com/TqQHOS2WvT
MORE: Why Caleb Downs, Jeremiyah Love are among 2026 NFL Draft's safest picks
Being at No. 12 and 20 in the first round means a lot of the Cowboys' decisions will depend on how the draft board plays out. Rueben Bain Jr. is one player who probably won't fall to No. 12, but if he does, Dallas should be taking him.
The Miami pass rusher led the country with 83 quarterback pressures in 2025, the most by any FBS player since 2017. If that doesn't scream "NFL ready," nothing might. There are two reasons Bain could fall a bit though — one, there are concerns about his arm length of 30 and 7/8 inches, and two, recent reports indicate he faced legal trouble in 2024.
However, if the Cowboys are comfortable with those drawbacks, they could be landing an impact rookie pass rusher. After Rashan Gary and Donovan Ezeiruaku, the team has a lack of talent on its defensive line. Bain would single-handedly help that.
Downs isn't going to be available at No. 20, but this is also a good safety class — Oregon's Dillon Thieneman has primarily been mocked in the 15-19 range, but could still be on the board as a potential difference-maker in the Cowboys' secondary. Thieneman is fluid, versatile and projects as a high-level safety in the NFL.
Dillon Thieneman is my newest 1st round gradeHe’d be a home run pick for the Cowboys at 12 imo pic.twitter.com/kgWlMEOJ1p
Neither player here is guaranteed to make it to their slot. But if both did, the Cowboys would be thrilled.