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Daniel Jeremiah Has Dallas Cowboys Snagging 2 Key Defenders in 2026 NFL Draft Mock
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- Daniel Jeremiah Has Dallas Cowboys Snagging 2 Key Defenders in 2026 NFL Draft Mock
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
The Dallas Cowboys have a pair of first-round picks in the 2026 NFL Draft, putting them in a great position to make significant additions to a defense that desperately needs help. With top experts starting to release mock drafts, there is new insight into what Dallas could do.
In his first 2026 NFL mock draft of the offseason, Daniel Jeremiah of NFL.com has the Cowboys selecting cornerback Colton Hood with the 12th overall pick. With the first-round pick acquired from the Green Bay Packers in the Micah Parsons trade, he gives Dallas edge rusher Keldric Faulk.
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Of note from Jeremiah's analysis, he wrote that he expects the Cowboys to use one of their Round 1 selections on an edge rusher. However, with cornerbacks expected to come off the board early in the 2026 NFL Draft and depth at pass rusher, he prioritized an upgrade for the Dallas secondary.
Hood, who stands 6 feet tall, earned second-team All-SEC honors this past season. He spent his sophomore season at Colorado before transferring to the Tennessee Volunteers ahead of this past season. With Jermod McCoy sidelined all year by an ACL tear, Hood stepped in and stood out as one of the best cornerbacks in the SEC. He finished his junior year with eight pass deflections, 4.5 tackles for loss and one interception.
As Jeremiah noted, Hood could be a plug-and-play starter on the perimeter for Dallas. He has shown the athleticism to stick with NFL-caliber receivers in man coverage, and he possesses the instincts that can make him a well-rounded, above-average starter at his peak.
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Jeremiah then had Dallas select Auburn's top edge rusher with the 20th overall pick. Faulk has shown the ability to become a three-down edge defender at 6 feet 6 inches tall, with above-average athleticism to go with it. He would be a bit of a development project for the Cowboys' coaching staff, but the ceiling is higher with him than with some other edge rushers.
One other benefit of potentially selecting Hood or another cornerback in Round 1 is that they could be coached up by Cowboys defensive coordinator Christian Parker. In stops with the Denver Broncos and Philadelphia Eagles , he proved instrumental in the development of Patrick Surtain II , Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean .
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