Cowboys talent tiers: Defensive line & linebackers

Talent? On this defense? Yes, despite what Matt Eberflus failed to do with it, the Cowboys’ defense does have some pieces to work with. Some of them are new arrivals from free agency, and we expect several more to come from the upcoming 2026 draft. As we continue this series of articles looking at how Dallas’ talent rates, and how it could impact the draft, the focus turns to the defense and specifically the front-seven positions in the defensive line and linebacker corps.

In the modern NFL, the term “front seven” is almost antiquated. With nickel now the dominant scheme, the majority of snaps have a combination of six defensive linemen and linebackers playing with five defensive backs. That’s good for a Cowboys team which is sorely lacking up front, and especially at linebacker.

As we’ve done with the other articles in this series, we’re looking at each player based on his perceived talent and the role he’s expected to fill in 2026. That means some backups will be rated higher than projected starters, but only because they currently feel more qualified for their spots on the depth chart.

The Elite

DL Quinnen Williams

Even in a transition from his midseason trade, Williams remained one of the league’s top interior linemen. While Dallas’ defense had too many holes for Williams’ arrival to raise all ships, his individual dominance was routinely on display. The hope going forward is that Christian Parker’s work to improve other defensive positions will take some of the pressure and attention off of Williams, allowing him to do even more to personally impact games.

Sadly, none of Dallas’ other front-seven defenders qualify for this top level. We have hopes for what good health could mean for DeMarvion Overshown, but we won’t know until December just how that goes.

Very Good

N/A

Williams not only stands alone on the elite tier, but there’s a huge gap between him and the rest of the defense. In the front seven, who right now can you say you feel all that great about? Many would consider DeMarvion Overshown the next-most talented, but he has massive availability concerns. We hope that Donovan Ezeiruaku is going to break out in his second season, but we need to see it first. Other guys are at least solid in their projected roles, which we’ll get to next, but no DL, EDGE, or LB outside of Quinnen Williams feels like a clear strength right now.

Good Enough

DL Kenny Clark
DL Otito Ogbonnia
DL Jonathan Bullard
EDGE Rashan Gary
EDGE James Houston

Remember, we’re looking at players’ value relative to their respective role. We’re not saying James Houston is a better player than Donovan Ezeiruaku (next tier), but he’s got lower expectations as a rotation piece versus someone the team is counting on for bigger things. With 5.5 sacks last year coming off the bench, he’s perfectly adequate for the same role. The same goes for new arrival Rashan Gary, who should be a capable starter as long as we’re not asking him to be the team’s top pass rusher.

Dallas has nearly renovated the defensive line, with Jay Toia now the only guy remaining from the start of last season. The new veteran core of Clark, Bullard, and Ogbonnia probably aren’t pushing for Pro Bowl spots this year, but they all feel like solid fits for what Parker plans to do. Like Williams, they’re hoping for more effective play around them to create more opportunities. But more than anything, their jobs will be to dictate terms up front and allow the linebackers to be the playmakers.

Causes for Concern

EDGE Donovan Ezeiruaku
EDGE Marist Liufau
EDGE Sam Williams
EDGE Tyrus Wheat
DL Jay Toia
LB DeMarvion Overshown
LB Shemar James
LB Justin Barron

And now we get to the not-so-fun part. The linebackers are riddled with issues and question marks, which is why ILB and EDGE have been at the forefront of many mock drafts. Even a guy we have high hopes for in his second year, Ezeiruaku, is going to need to take a pretty big leap to be the productive pass rusher that Dallas needs. He’d be “Good Enough” if he was just a wingman or rotation guy, and maybe he will be depending on how the draft goes, but without any new additions there is a lot of pressure on Ezeiruaku to perform.

The rest of the EDGE rotation is suspect even for depth. Liufau has reportedly been moved there after two years inside, and it doesn’t bode well. He’s undersized for the role and will be a huge liability against the run, which will limit his snaps. Your third season is a time to blossom in an existing role, not find a new one, and this move is more likely to result in Liufau not finishing out his rookie contract. As for Sam Williams, he could find new life in this scheme but has to show it on the field. If his best plays are only on special teams like in 2025, this one-year deal is probably his last. Tyrus Wheat returns after a one-year sojourn in Detroit, but he’s just a body right now until proven otherwise.

As bleak as some of that sounds, it’s still a better situation than inside linebacker. As already mentioned, Overshown has clear star potential but needs his body to cooperate. If healthy, Overshown can be a great chess piece for Parker with versatile abilities. You can line him up in several different ways and leave offenses guessing about what he might do. But if his knee doesn’t finally hold up, it will all be for naught.

Shemar James was able to get a lot more playing time last year than expected, but we saw all of the rawness that made him just a Day 3 pick. The physical traits are all there, but his diagnostic skills need to improve. As for Justin Barron, a year on the practice squad means we don’t really know what he has to offer. But the former safety should have the coverage skills to play 3-4 LB, especially on passing downs, and will be interesting to watch this summer.

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Surprise, surprise: the linebacker position, inside and edge rushers, is a massive need going into the draft. It’s why many think Dallas could trade up on Thursday night, hoping to land a premier EDGE like David Bailey or the top ILB, Sonny Styles. If the Cowboys do move into the top-10, it’s probably for one of these guys. We could also see Arvell Reese in the mix if he falls a little, or Rueben Bain if the other top defenders go early.

However, moving up means only getting one guy early. Given how big the needs are at both spots, you can understand why many would prefer Dallas to stand pat at the 12th and 20th picks. They may not get an elite prospect, but they can cover two bases instead of one. This would bring other pass rushers like Akheem Mesidor and Keldric Faulk into play, plus ILB prospects C.J. Allen and Jacob Rodriguez. Still, not trading up also makes it more likely that the top talents on the board will be defensive backs, or maybe offensive tackles.

More than any other positions, EDGE and ILB will hang over this draft. Not getting one on Thursday night will keep a spotlight on it in the subsequent rounds. And without a significant addition from the rookie class, many will be looking for Dallas to turn to free agency or even a trade immediately following the draft. This will be especially true for ILB, which has no reliable starter from among the current talent.