The dust has settled on the Dallas Cowboys’ whirlwind trade deadline, where the arrivals of Quinnen Williams and Logan Wilson signaled a clear “win-now” intent. But with a 3-5-1 record highlighting persistent roster flaws, the future remains just as important. In a new 2026 mock draft from The Athletic’s Nick Baumgardner, the Cowboys are projected to use their two precious first-round picks—a result of the Micah Parsons trade—to continue fortifying their defense, targeting a dynamic pass rusher and a standout cornerback.
Texas Tech Red Raiders EDGE David Bailey against the Arizona State Sun Devils.
1. Pick No. 11: Injecting Youth off the Edge
The trade for Quinnen Williams, paired with Kenny Clark, creates a potentially dominant interior defensive line. However, the need for a consistent pass rush from the edge remains glaring. With this pick, the mock draft has the Cowboys selecting David Bailey, Edge, Texas Tech.
Bailey has been a force of nature in his final collegiate season, posting a staggering 13 sacks and 55 pressures in just nine games. His explosive get-off and proven production make him an ideal candidate to bookend the defensive line opposite Donovan Ezeiruaku. As Baumgardner notes, “Bailey… has been electric this season,” offering the Cowboys the game-wrecking presence off the edge they’ve been missing since trading Parsons.
2. Pick No. 28 (from Packers): Bolstering a Leaky Secondary
While the front seven has been a focus, the Cowboys’ secondary has been arguably the team’s most significant weakness, repeatedly exposed in critical moments. To address this, Baumgardner has Dallas using the pick acquired from Green Bay to select Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU.
Delane has been a bright spot in an otherwise inconsistent LSU defense, praised for his consistency and coverage skills. Plugging him into a cornerback room featuring DaRon Bland and Shavon Revel would instantly create a more formidable and deep trio, giving Defensive Coordinator Mike Zimmer more versatile options to combat the pass-happy offenses of the NFC East.
3. The Big Picture: A Defensive Rebuild in Progress
This mock draft illustrates a clear strategy: completely overhaul the defense through bold trades and strategic drafting. The vision is a unit transformed:
Interior Dominance: Williams and Clark.
Dynamic Edge Rush: A rookie like Bailey alongside Ezeiruaku.
Reinforced Secondary: Delane joining Bland and Revel.
This blueprint acknowledges that while the offense has its stars, a championship-caliber team in today’s NFL is built on a foundation of a resilient and dynamic defense.
Of course, the draft is still months away, and the Cowboys’ final positioning will be determined by their performance in the season’s second half. However, this projection from The Athletic provides a compelling roadmap for how the Cowboys can leverage their draft capital. By targeting high-ceiling defenders like David Bailey and Mansoor Delane, Dallas can systematically patch its most glaring holes. The trades made them more talented for the present; a draft like this could secure a much brighter future.