Cowboys 2026 draft: First-round ceiling, second-round projection prospects
We all know the names that we want Dallas to take in the first round. But what about some names that sit on the fringe outside the top-30 that could fit Dallas perfectly? They could be a reach pick at pick 20, but may be in the sweeet spot if the teams trades back. Players that have huge potential with a high ceiling. Here are five of the best fits and highest potential prospects Dallas could consider that are rated as second-round players.
Jake Golday, LB, Cincinnati
Golday fits the Cowboys’ in the ‘we need speed at linebacker’ department. He’s outside the top-30 because he’s a projection in terms of role as he’s converted from defensive end at Central Arkansas to off-ball linebacker at Cincinnati, so analysts are being cautious about instincts and route concept understating at the NFL level. Massive first-round potential shows up if he tests like a modern space backer and teams believe the conversion curve is still rising. For those in love with Jacob Rodriguez, and understandably so, foot speed is a big question mark with him and Cowboys fans have spent a season watching a certain linebacker fail to keep pace. With Golday, speed is one thing he has plenty of in his bag.
D’Angelo Ponds, CB, Indiana
This is a very Cowboys at 20 type prospect if you’re betting on playmaking and competitiveness to fix a secondary that’s a major need this year. The reason he’s ranked outside the top 30 is basically he’s small, listed at 5’9” and just 170 pound. That size issue will always push corners down boards because of boundary matchups, tackling mass, and how teams want to deploy them. So why the first-round intrigue? First, watch him at the NFL Scouting Combine, this guy has legit speed and short-area quickness, expect a 40-yard dash time to hover at 4.30s. The next reason is his ball instinct; he has 33 pass breakups, seven interceptions, two fumble recoveries, and two pick-sixes in his three seasons at college. Lastly, if Dallas believes Christian Parker and his teaching and scheme can weaponize him as a sticky, scheme-diverse cornerback who creates negative plays, then this is a slam dunk pick in the first round.
Dillon Thieneman, S, Oregon
This is a clean match for a roster where free safety is going unresolved for the 2026 season. He’s outside the top 30 because he reads more like a safety who’s best closer to the action, and teams can get picky about whether that player is truly a full-field, single-high safety or more of a strong safety or robber type. But the first-round upside is absolutely there if teams buy the tackling volume and physical trigger to be a tone-setter who can still survive in single-high. That blend can push a safety into the 15–30 range fast in a defense-heavy class and if Caleb Downs is off the board early, Thieneman is arguably the next best in the safety rankings. That means if Dallas wants to fill the safety void, he would be the smart, best move they could make to close out the roster hole.
Zion Young, EDGE, Missouri
This is one of the best options purely because Dallas has a very big need at EDGE, and you can never have too many rushers. His profile reads a bit power-over-burst which is one reason he’s ranked outside the top-30, along with his size and strength. But he’s overcoming a lack of high-end athleticism as testament to his 17 tackles for loss, seven sacks and two forced fumbles registered in 2025, and that kind of ceiling question often pushes players into the 30 range and fringe first-round talent with a solid combine during the interview process. If he validates explosiveness better than expected at the combine and teams buy him as an every-down edge, then that’s exactly how second-round edges get drafted when the board suddenly thins.
Blake Miller, OT, Clemson
The Dallas offensive tackle room is an offseason spot where a meaningful move could really change the offense entirely, especially with an upgrade at right tackle. Why Miller is still commonly sitting outside the top 30 is that most evaluators see him as a guy with traits and starting-experience prospect, but with enough tape-level inconsistency that teams hesitate to stamp him with a clean in round one tag. Most people view Miller as a right tackle only player, but that’s exactly what Dallas is looking for. He’s as an athletic right tackle with exceptional arm length and quick, proactive hands. Throw in great durability and that’s exactly the baseline Dallas wants for a starting NFL right tackle in a pass-heavy league. If he tests well and teams convince themselves the inconsistency is coachable rather than a hard limitation, Miller becomes a first-round right tackle the moment the combine closes.
Would any of these prospects interest you late in the first round?
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