Right now, the Dallas Cowboys are in an interesting spot when it comes to how the NFL draft will shake out.
As of now, the Cowboys hold the 13th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft with a 5-5-1 record. The Cowboys are still clinging to their playoff hopes, and we could see their draft position dramatically slide in either direction before the season comes to a close.
The Cowboys hold two first-round picks at the moment, but then don’t pick again until round three. While that’s not a bad position, this team could use more capital to rebuild its defense. With trades being a factor in this mock draft, we can make those defensive additions happen for the Cowboys.
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Dallas Cowboys 2026 NFL Mock Draft
This Cowboys mock draft will be done on the PFF Mock Draft Simulator.
First-Round Pick (13th Overall): David Bailey, EDGE, Texas Tech
With the Cowboys’ first pick, they should absolutely select David Bailey if he is available at No. 13. Bailey is my 8th-ranked player, so the Cowboys would be getting value at a position of need.
Although Bailey struggles a bit in the run game, he’s able to get after the quarterback with the best of ’em. The 6’3”, 250-pound edge rusher has a 23.4 pash rush win rate and pops on tape.
No one is going to be able to replace Micah Parsons and be the exact player that he was, but Bailey projects to be a fantastic player in his own right.
Dallas Cowboys Trade With Pittsburgh Steelers
In this scenario, the Pittsburgh Steelers are looking to come up to pick 24 in order to grab a WR2 for their offense in KC Concepcion. For the Cowboys, they get a very nice haul in return.
They would end up walking away with the 48th overall pick, 98th overall pick, and the Steelers’ second-round pick in the 2027 NFL Draft.
Second-Round Pick (48th Overall, via Trade): A.J. Haulcy, S, LSU
Not enough people are talking about A.J. Haulcy, and he may not be available here in April. As of now, though, the Cowboys have a massive need at safety, and Haulcy is easily the best player on the board.
Not only that, but Haulcy can really play anywhere on defense. In 2024, Haulcy had 100 snaps in the slot, 234 in the box, and 363 back deep.
Haulcy is a bigger safety at 6’0” and 222 lbs who can cover well at his size but also play the run with power. While Haulcy could be a bit more polished in the run game, as his 16% missed tackle rate would indicate, he’s a great fit for Dallas.
Third-Round Pick (98th Overall, via Trade): Xavier Scott, CB, Illinois
Xavier Scott is a phenomenal player, and you would be getting an injury discount for him. Scott has only played in three games this year, which isn’t what you want to see, but the 2024 tape was fantastic.
The Cowboys’ secondary has a ton of questions, and while Scott might never be a lockdown CB1, he’s a nice addition. Scott is 5’11” and 195 lbs, which isn’t fantastic, but he plays much bigger than his size would indicate.
Scott shows really strong ball skills and the ability to mirror receivers regardless of size. Last year, we also saw Scott play 458 snaps in the slot and 263 out wide.
If the Dallas Cowboys are able to land Scott in round three, it would make perfect sense to add him to their secondary.
