How the Cowboys would look with an all-defense draft
The Dallas Cowboys have eight picks in the 2026 NFL Draft. They own picks 12, 20, 92, 112, 152, 177, 180, and 218, and the shape of the roster makes it easy to see why an all-defense approach could be appealing (even if it is very unlikely).
Dallas has already reworked the unit some this offseason by moving on from Osa Odighizuwa and Solomon Thomas while adding players like Rashan Gary, Cobie Durant, and Jalen Thompson, but the bigger picture still points to a heavily defensive weekend. Let’s see what an all defense draft could look like.
Pick 12: Mansoor Delane, cornerback, LSU
Delane measured in at 5-foot-11 and 187 pounds at the combine, and while he did not participate in the testing drills, he still checks the biggest box Dallas needs checked. He’s a true outside corner talent with first-round value. His consensus ranks at number 11 overall so there’s a highly realistic chance to still be on the board at 12. If Dallas can land that kind of value without forcing an edge pick that does not fully match the board, it is the kind of disciplined move this front office needs to make.
Pick 20: Akheem Mesidor, edge, Miami
Mesidor measured 6-foot-3 and 259 pounds at the combine, with 32 inch arms and 10-inch hands. Mesidor gives Dallas immediate pass rush help with real schematic flexibility. He broke out in 2025 with 12.5 sacks and 18 tackles for loss, earning first-team All-ACC honors. He owns an explosive first step, advanced hand usage, high motor, and the ability to line up from a wide alignment or kick inside on passing downs. If this defense wants to break the opposing offensive line with consistency, doing it with a polished edge who can help Christian Parker’s front right away makes so much sense. Add in Miami’s own coaching staff talking about his leadership qualities and film study, this is a solid pick here, even discounting the negatives surrounding his age.
Pick 92: Treydan Stukes, defensive back, Arizona
Stukes measured 6-foot-1 and 190 pounds, and he was one of the better testers in the secondary group with a 4.33s forty, 1.50s 10-yard split, 38-inch vertical, and 10-foot-10 broad. Stukes is one of the best third-round fits for the Cowboys because of how important the nickel role is in Parker’s system, and because Stukes has real slot experience along with the ability to function in multiple alignments. He is not just a depth piece here. He is a direct response to one of the defense’s most specialized jobs.
Pick 112: Keyshaun Elliott, linebacker, Arizona State
Elliott measured 6-foot-2 and 231 pounds, and while he did not run the forty in Indianapolis, he still posted a 38-inch vertical, a 10-foot-5 broad jump, and 21 bench reps. He’s one of the more physical inside linebackers in this class, and that tracks with what Dallas still needs in the middle of the defense. Elliott gives the Cowboys more size, more edge, and more downhill urgency, which is important for a team still looking for a real tone-setter at linebacker. In a class built around fixing the identity of the defense, this is the kind of Day 3 starter bet that makes sense.
Pick 152: Caden Curry, edge defender, Ohio State
Curry measured 6-foot-3 and 257 pounds, and like Delane, he only provided measurements at the combine without athletic testing. Even so, the fit is easy to understand. Curry is one of the more versatile defensive line options in the class, and he played all over the front for Ohio State in 2025 and produced 11 sacks with 16.5 tackles for loss. For a Dallas defense that just moved on from multiple interior pieces and wants to stay flexible in odd and even looks, Curry feels like the right kind of developmental chess piece.
Pick 177: Kaleb Elarms-Orr, linebacker TCU
He measured 6-foot-2 and 234 pounds and tested extremely well, running a 4.47s forty with a 1.59s split, a 40-inch vertical, a 10-foot-4 broad jump, and a 4.41s shuttle. After taking a more physical tone-setter in Elliott earlier, this is a good spot to bet on movement skills and range. In Parker’s defense, Dallas is going to need second-level defenders who can work in space and survive the constant shifting between fronts and coverage structures. Elarms-Orr gives Dallas another body with legitimate athletic tools to develop in that mold.
Pick 180: Charles Demmings, cornerback, Stephen F. Austin
Demmings measured 6-foot-1 and 193 pounds and then put together a strong testing profile with a 4.41s forty, 1.55s split, 42-inch vertical, and 11-foot broad jump. This is exactly the kind of late Day 3 corner bet that is worth making when the team is rebuilding depth and competition in the secondary. Dallas would already have a major investments at corner in Delane, but adding Demmings gives the room one more long, explosive athlete to develop and challenge for snaps on defense and special teams.
Pick 218: Nick Barrett, defensive tackle, South Carolina
For pick number 218, the selection moves to the inside defensive line with Nick Barrett from South Carolina. Barrett measured 6-foot-3 and 312 pounds at the combine, with 33 inch arms and 10-inch hands, and he tested with a 5.10s forty yard time, 1.71s 10-yard split, 31.5-inch vertical, 9-foot broad jump, 8.17s three-cone, and 4.91s shuttle. He is not a flashy late-round pick, but he does give Dallas a sturdy interior depth option with real run-defense value. Barrett is a tough, sturdy interior defender who can help shore up run defense and give the Cowboys another developmental body in the trenches. For a final Day 3 pick, that kind of functional depth makes plenty of sense.
Put it all together, and this is the kind of defensive draft class that could actually change the trajectory of the unit in one weekend. Delane and Mesidor would give Dallas two legitimate first-round answers at both corner and edge. Stukes would help address the nickel role that matters so much in Parker’s system. Elliott and Elarms-Orr would add two different flavors of linebacker help. Curry would give the front another movable piece. Demmings would add athletic depth in the secondary, and Barrett bolsters the defensive tackle position. For a team trying to build a defense that is more flexible, more physical, and better equipped for the modern NFC, this is a mock that feels both aggressive and fits perfectly.
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