Cowboys draft rumor: Dallas could trade up in first round for defensive star

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - DECEMBER 06: Ohio State Buckeyes LB Arvell Reese (8) during the Big Ten Championship football game between the Indiana Hoosiers and the Ohio State Buckeyes on December 6, 2025 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, IN. (Photo by James Black/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

The rumor mill is working overdrive in advance of the NFL draft. There has been a lot of chum in the water as of late that the Dallas Cowboys are a top team to trade up during next week’s draft. Given that the Cowboys have the 12th and 20th overall picks they certainly have the ammunition to do so.

But what could Dallas be moving (or wanting to be moving) up to do? Who could they be targeting? The answers have a theme.

Arvell Reese is the new name of interest

As last weekend began there was a report from Ian Rapoport that Dallas could be looking to move up. He mentioned three names in his report (he was speaking vaguely to be clear and just throwing out ideas). They were Rueben Bain, Akheem Mesidor, and Sonny Styles.

Albert Breer went a different direction in his column on Monday. In discussing teams that could be interested in trading up he too mentioned the Cowboys, but he did so in connection to Arvell Reese.

“The Cowboys could view Reese like they did Parsons in 2021. They also have two first-round picks. On the draft value chart, the 12th and 20th picks add up to 2,050 points, which is in between the value of the third (2,200) and fourth (1,800) picks. Would Arizona take a slight discount or ask Dallas for its third-rounder, which would leave the Cowboys with just one pick in the top 100? It’s interesting to ponder, anyway.”

The first part of this is important to understand. First of all, the Cowboys traded down before ultimately coming away with Micah Parsons at 12 overall in the 2021 NFL Draft.

Also of note, the evaluation (from everyone, not just the Cowboys) on Parsons was an an off-ball linebacker. It wasn’t until injuries early in that season forced Parsons up to the line that unlocked who he has become and changed everything. If the world knew then what it does now then, there is no way that Parsons would have even made it to 10 overall which is where the Cowboys moved down from.

That being said, Arvell Reese is a player who would significantly change the overall landscape of the Cowboys defense. It should be noted too that Dallas held Reese in for a 30 visit which was a bit curious given that they are unlikely to be able to land him with where they currently stand in the draft. This is partly why a trade up makes sense.

Do you believe? Or are you unwilling to buy in?