Cowboys 2026 NFL Draft guide: Number of picks, biggest needs, draft history, and more

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Cowboys 2026 NFL Draft guide: Number of picks, biggest needs, draft history, and more

Douglas Fritz, ClutchPoints · ClutchPoints

Tue, Mar 31, 2026 ·

5 min read

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The Dallas Cowboys ' 2026 NFL Draft guide is here to get you ready for the upcoming annual selection meeting . Ahead of this crucial week, let's look at the Bills' draft pick, their biggest needs, potential targets, and their recent draft history.

The draft is in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, this year, with Round 1 kicking off on April 23. Rounds 2 and 3 happen on April 24. The festivities wrap up with Rounds 4-7 on April 25.

Cowboys' 2026 NFL Draft picks

Thanks to the Micah Parsons trade before the start of the 2025 season, the Cowboys have an extra first-round pick this year . That gives them a chance to get two solid picks. Or owner Jerry Jones could pull off a trade and move the Cowboys up the ladder.

Here's the current allotment:
Round 1, Pick 12
Round 1, Pick 20
Round 3, Pick 92
Round 4, Pick 112
Round 5, Pick 152
Round 5, Pick 177
Round 5, Pick 180
Round 7, Pick 218

Cowboys' 2026 NFL Draft needs and targets

One thing seems certain. The Cowboys will hit the defensive side of the ball hard and heavy in the draft. It's not out of the realm of possibility that they will spend their first four picks on defensive players.

LB: The Cowboys have not addressed their middle linebacker situation strongly enough for the 2026 season. However, unless the draft gets wonky early, the best players on the board may fit the edge or cornerback needs.

DeMarvion Overshown has lots of ability, but hasn't shown enough availability early in his NFL career. The other current starter is Shemar James .

One thing the Cowboys could consider is a trade up to get Ohio State product Sonny Styles if he doesn't go super early. That would be a potential rookie fix for the middle of the Cowboys' defense. He has that NFL look, according to NFL.com.

"The former Buckeye diffuses block attempts with crisp hand strikes and leverages run fits with force/anchor strength," Lance Zierlein wrote. "He can make an impact from multiple spots on the field and is a plus man-cover talent. Styles is an emerging player with the traits and versatility to garner longer looks by NFL evaluators. He could see his stock soar leading up to draft day."

What a nice fit he would be for the Cowboys' still-questionable defense. But they would likely need a trade to get him.

EDGE: This would be a position to target with the second first-round pick. But so much depends on what happens in front of them. If a solid edge rusher slides this far, the Cowboys will almost surely pounce.

The big question is whether the Cowboys consider Cassius Howell (Texas A&M) or Miami 's Akheem Mesidor as elite enough to pass on a potential safety pick like Toledo's Emmanuel McNeil-Warren.

"McNeil-Warren would be elite in a three-safety look due to his 6-foot-4 build, range and ability to play in the box," Miller wrote. "He's very good at erasing passing lanes, but McNeil-Warren's best asset is his downhill tackling ability that has led to nine career forced fumbles."

CB: Mock after mock has the Cowboys grabbing Jermod McCoy at No. 12. It fits an important need. It also fits with the type of chances the Cowboys like to take. They'll often take a premier player with a checkered injury history and roll the dice.

McCoy is certainly that guy this year, having missed the entire 2025 season. The shaky setup in the secondary right now gives credence to this pick, according to ESPN.

"Dallas' cornerback room is full of question marks behind DaRon Bland due to the release of Trevon Diggs ," Matt Miller wrote. "Bland is solid, but the Cowboys need a corner who scares opposing QBs. McCoy missed last season following a torn ACL suffered in January 2025, but his 2024 tape was elite, with four interceptions and nine passes defensed.

"The 6-foot-1, 188-pound McCoy profiles as a physical outside cornerback with smooth moving skills in phase. He would have been my top cornerback in the 2025 class if he had been draft-eligible."

Recent draft history — top picks for the last five years

2025: OL Tyler Booker , Alabama (Round 1, Pick 12)
2024: OL Tyler Guyton , Oklahoma (Round 1, 29)
2023: DT Mazi Smith , Michigan (Round 1, 26)
2022: OL Tyler Smith , Tulsa (Round 1, 24)
2021: LB Micah Parsons, Penn State (Round 1, 12)
2020: WR CeeDee Lamb , Oklahoma (Round 1, 17)

The Cowboys have a history of drafting linemen in the first round. And even though they picked Smith in 2023, perhaps not focusing enough on defense has put them in the defensive situation they are in now.

There's a consensus that the Cowboys will go with two defensive players in Round 1. But what if a receiver talent like Carnell Tate is still on the board? Would the Cowboys dare take him and then alleviate the contract situation of George Pickens by trading him?

Still, there's a strong likelihood the Cowboys will stay with a defensive approach. Look for them to get a cornerback with one of those two picks. And depending on who is still on the board, they could go linebacker, edge, or safety with the second pick.

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