With the calendar turning and the regular season nearly complete, the Dallas Cowboys are officially able to shift their attention toward the future.
As the new year begins, only one game remains on the Cowboys’ 2025 schedule, opening the door for early preparation for the 2026 NFL Draft.
For a franchise defined by constant expectations and relentless scrutiny, the offseason is never truly quiet in Dallas.
Instead, it becomes a period of reflection, evaluation, and speculation.
And this year, the direction of that speculation is remarkably clear.
There is little debate around the league that the Cowboys must address their defensive shortcomings.
Throughout the season, defensive inconsistency repeatedly undermined the team’s ability to control games.
Breakdowns in coverage, missed tackles, and a lack of cohesion at the second level exposed vulnerabilities that opposing offenses exploited.
As a result, analysts, draft experts, and fans alike have reached the same conclusion.
Defense must be the priority.
That consensus has fueled widespread projections that Dallas will attack the defensive side of the ball aggressively in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft.
Many expect the Cowboys to double dip defensively, using multiple first-round selections to stabilize a unit that struggled to find its identity.
The logic is straightforward.
Championship teams rarely succeed without a dependable defense.
And Dallas knows it can no longer rely on patchwork solutions.
One of the latest and most detailed mock drafts addressing Dallas’ needs comes from Dalton Wasserman of Pro Football Focus.
Wasserman’s projections align closely with what many inside league circles believe the Cowboys are likely to do.
Address obvious needs.
Prioritize production and reliability.
And target players who can contribute immediately.
Before diving into the individual selections, it is important to understand the broader context surrounding Dallas’ draft position.
The 2026 NFL Draft will take place in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
The event is scheduled for Thursday, April 23, through Saturday, April 25.
For a Cowboys franchise eager to rebound defensively, those three days could define the trajectory of the next several seasons.
According to Wasserman’s mock draft, Dallas begins its first-round strategy by addressing the secondary.
That approach comes as no surprise following one of the most consequential roster decisions of the offseason.
The Cowboys recently released cornerback Trevon Diggs.
Diggs, once considered a cornerstone of the defense, is no longer part of the long-term plan.
His departure created an immediate void.
With Diggs gone, Dallas suddenly lacks a true shutdown presence on the outside.
The release forced the front office to reassess how it wants to rebuild the secondary.
Free agency may offer short-term answers.
But the draft remains the most sustainable solution.
At Pick No. 14, Wasserman projects the Cowboys selecting Mansoor Delane, cornerback out of LSU.
Delane represents a blend of production, athleticism, and coverage discipline that Dallas sorely needs.
After transferring from Virginia Tech to LSU, Delane elevated his game to another level.
His impact was felt throughout the season.
Statistically, Delane’s resume stands out among top cornerback prospects.
He recorded 45 total tackles.
He added two interceptions.
He also posted a career-high number of passes defensed.
Those numbers only tell part of the story.
What truly separates Delane is his efficiency in coverage.
According to Pro Football Focus, he earned an elite 90.9 coverage grade.
Quarterbacks targeting him managed a passer rating of just 26.7.
That figure is exceptionally low, especially for a primary coverage defender.
Wasserman emphasizes that defensive improvement must start beyond the line of scrimmage.
“No matter the order in which they do it, the Cowboys must improve the back seven of their defense to contend for the postseason in 2026,” he writes.
Delane is positioned as the first step in that process.
If drafted, Delane would immediately slot into a restructured secondary.
Alongside DaRon Bland and Shavon Revel, he could form the nucleus of a new cornerback trio.
The combination offers versatility and youth.
But questions remain.
Safety remains an unresolved issue for Dallas.
The position has been described internally and externally as chaotic.
Missed assignments and communication failures plagued the unit throughout the season.
Even with an improved cornerback group, the Cowboys will need further adjustments to stabilize the back end.
After addressing the secondary, Wasserman’s mock draft shows Dallas turning its attention to the linebacker position.
At Pick No. 21, acquired via the Green Bay Packers, the Cowboys select CJ Allen from Georgia.
Allen is widely regarded as one of the most complete linebackers in college football.
His emergence has been central to Georgia’s dominant defensive identity.
During the season, Allen put together an impressive statistical profile.
He totaled 85 tackles.
He recorded eight tackles for loss.
He added 3.5 sacks.
He forced two fumbles.
He also recovered a fumble.
Beyond the numbers, Allen’s presence on the field is commanding.
He plays with instinct and discipline.
He diagnoses run concepts quickly.
He closes space with authority.
And he brings leadership to the middle of the defense.
Linebacker has long been considered one of the Cowboys’ weakest areas.
Missed tackles and inconsistent gap discipline routinely allowed opposing offenses to control the tempo.
Adding a player like Allen late in the first round would be viewed as exceptional value.
Wasserman highlights Allen’s impact in his analysis.
“With a cornerback already addressed, Dallas could turn to Georgia’s CJ Allen as a new leader at linebacker,” the mock states.
Allen ranks fourth among qualified FBS linebackers in run-defense grade, posting a 90.9 mark.
His value extends beyond stopping the run.
Allen has also emerged as a capable blitzer.
He recorded 13 pressures during the season.
He added four sacks.
That versatility fits well within modern NFL defensive schemes.
For the Cowboys, the appeal of Allen goes beyond raw production.
He represents a tone-setter.
A player who can align the defense.
A player who can grow into a leadership role.
Taken together, Wasserman’s projections outline a clear blueprint for Dallas.
Rebuild the defense through premium draft capital.
Add foundational players at positions of need.
Restore balance to a roster that leaned too heavily on offensive firepower.
The draft, however, is never guaranteed.
Prospects carry risk.
Development takes time.
And expectations in Dallas are rarely patient.
Still, the direction is unmistakable.
The Cowboys know their margin for error is shrinking.
They know defensive improvement is no longer optional.
And they know the 2026 NFL Draft represents a pivotal opportunity.
