Jerry Jones, left, and Stephen Jones attend a Dallas Cowboys practice on Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2019 at The Star in Frisco, Texas. (Ryan Michalesko/The Dallas Morning News)

Jerry Jones, left, and Stephen Jones attend a Dallas Cowboys practice on Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2019 at The Star in Frisco, Texas. (Ryan Michalesko/The Dallas Morning News)

Ryan Michalesko/Staff Photographer

In case you’re keeping track at home, the Dallas Cowboys could trade up from No. 12. They could trade back, too. They need a nickel corner, an edge rusher, and, most important, a linebacker from the draft. Shoot, they even could draft an offensive player if the board fell a certain way.

“If the best player on the board is clearly an offensive player we’ll certainly discuss that and more than likely, knowing Jerry [Jones], pull the trigger,” Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer said from the owners meetings in Arizona this week. 

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There are a lot of options on the table for the Cowboys, depending how the board falls. Even as we turn the calendar to April, there’s still mystery about what the Cowboys might do. 

So how does the board fall in our mock draft, version 3.0? Let’s dive in. 

1. Las Vegas

The pick: Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza

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Comment: There’s no mystery about this one. The Heisman Trophy winner and national champion heads to the Raiders. 

2. New York Jets

The pick: Texas Tech Edge David Bailey

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Comment: Jets head coach Aaron Glenn was one of four head coaches at Texas Tech‘s pro day last week. He had a chance to see in person the type of speed that Bailey brings off the edge. The Jets get some pass rush juice here, going with Bailey over Ohio State’s Arvell Reese and Miami’s Rueben Bain Jr.

3. Arizona

The pick: Miami OT Francis Mauigoa 

Comment: It feels like the Cardinals could go in multiple directions here. Pass rusher and even Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love are on the table. Here, the Cardinals select a pillar at tackle for their next quarterback, whomever that may be.

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4. Tennessee 

The pick: Ohio State Edge Arvell Reese

Comment: Reese has so much pass rushing potential. It’s a reason he could be the No. 2 pick when it’s all said and done. Here, he goes to new head coach Robert Saleh and the Titans. 

5. New York Giants

The pick: Ohio State S Caleb Downs

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Comment: This is the second-straight time I’ve mocked this pick for the Giants. Downs could fall to the Cowboys at No. 12. Instead, he goes to John Harbaugh and the Giants, becoming a key, versatile piece for a Giants defense that already has a ton of pass rushing talent. 

6. Cleveland

The pick: Georgia OT Monroe Freeling

Comment: This feels like a place where the Cowboys could trade up if they wanted to secure Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles or LSU cornerback Mansoor Delane before the Commanders do. The Browns need a lot, including an athletic offensive lineman like Freeling.

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7. Washington

The pick: Ohio State LB Sonny Styles

Comment: Styles is the clear-cut best off-ball linebacker in this draft. He would fill the Cowboys biggest remaining need brilliantly. Instead, he replaces Bobby Wagner and becomes a cornerstone piece for Dan Quinn. 

8. New Orleans

The pick: Ohio State WR Carnell Tate

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Comment: The Saints already have one former first round Ohio State wide receiver in Chris Olave. Why not make it two? Kellen Moore gets another weapon for second-year quarterback Tyler Shough. 

9. Kansas City

The pick: Oregon TE Kenyon Sadiq

Comment: This feels like the highest potential landing spot for Sadiq, who becomes the heir apparent for Travis Kelce. A pick like this would also be huge for the Cowboys; the more offensive players that go in the top 11, the better chance that a really talented defensive player falls to them at No. 12. 

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10. Cincinnati

The pick: Notre Dame RB Jeremiyah Love

Comment: This would certainly be a wild card pick, but it’s hard for me to imagine Love falling out of the top 10 at this point. The Bengals end his slide. 

11. Miami

The pick: LSU CB Mansoor Delane

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Comment: The clear-cut top corner in the draft had an excellent pro day, seemingly cementing his status as a top-11 pick. It’s hard to imagine he would fall past the Dolphins on draft day, as much as Cowboys fans might enjoy it. 

12. Dallas

The pick: Miami Edge Rueben Bain Jr.

Comment: Cowboys owner Jerry Jones was talking about how rare it is to find an edge rusher who could chase the quarterback and drop back into coverage. It’s something they want in Christian Parker’s scheme. They get one of the best options with Bain, whose power and bend ability is enough to ease concerns about his shorter arms. This would be a huge win for the Cowboys. 

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Miami defensive lineman Rueben Bain Jr. (4) runs a play during an NCAA football game against Louisville on Friday, Oct. 17, 2025 in Miami Gardens, Fla.

Miami defensive lineman Rueben Bain Jr. (4) runs a play during an NCAA football game against Louisville on Friday, Oct. 17, 2025 in Miami Gardens, Fla.

Doug Murray/AP

13. Los Angeles Rams

The pick: USC WR Makai Lemon

Comment: The Rams still might trade Davante Adams. This gives the Rams some insurance and talent, especially with Puka Nacua’s contract also coming up soon. 

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14. Baltimore

The pick: Auburn DL Keldric Faulk

Comment: Faulk has a ton of talent. He just needs refinement. New Ravens head coach Jesse Minter gets the task with the talented Faulk, who could play multiple positions across the defensive line.

15. Tampa Bay

The pick: Tennessee CB Jermod McCoy

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Comment: McCoy answered major questions by working out at his pro day after missing all of last season with a torn ACL. I had him mocked to the Cowboys at No. 12 in each of the first two drafts. The talent is there, but I’m not sure the Cowboys can afford the risk of another cornerback with an injured past. 

16. New York Jets

The pick: Arizona State WR Jordyn Tyson

Comment: The wide receiver group is a fascinating one this year. There are a lot of ways you could order the top five rankings of them. Tyson, an Allen alum, might be the most talented of them all. 

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17. Detroit

The pick: Miami Edge Akheem Mesidor

Comment: Mesidor and Bain were ferocious for the Hurricanes. There’s a lot of optimism about what Mesidor could do as an instant impact player, especially considering he’ll be 25 by the start of next season. The Lions, in this draft, hope that’s the case. 

18. Minnesota

The pick: Oregon S Dillon Thieneman 

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Comment: Thieneman starred at both Purdue and Oregon. He also excelled in two different systems and two different roles. Here, he becomes the heir apparent to former first-round pick Harrison Smith.

19. Carolina

The pick: Utah OL Spencer Fano

Comment: The Panthers are moving forward by building around Bryce Young. They add more protection for him with Fano. 

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20. Dallas

The pick: Clemson CB Avieon Terrell

Comment: The Cowboys really missed Jourdan Lewis last season. With Terrell, they find his replacement. This also would allow them to keep DaRon Bland outside — a goal, according to Schottenheimer.

I’m not doing trades in this mock draft. If the board looked like this, and a team called wanting to move up, I could see the Cowboys moving back and acquiring more draft capital. Toledo safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, as well as Georgia linebacker C.J. Allen, Texas Tech linebacker Jacob Rodriguez and Tennessee cornerback Colton Hood were also a consideration here.

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21. Pittsburgh

The pick: Indiana WR Omar Cooper Jr.

Comment: We still believe Aaron Rodgers will come back for one more season, right? If so, Rodgers and new head coach Mike McCarthy could use a weapon like Cooper to bolster their offense. 

22. Los Angeles Chargers

The pick: Penn State OL Olaivavega Ioane

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Comment: I’ve kept this pick consistent in all three mock drafts. The Chargers need to protect Justin Herbert. Some look at Ioane, an interior offensive lineman, as arguably the best offensive lineman overall.

23. Philadelphia

The pick: Texas A&M Edge Cashius Howell

Comment: Like Bain, Howell has short arms, but impressive pass rushing talent otherwise. The Eagles replace Jaelen Phillips with the Aggies star pass rusher here.

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24. Cleveland

The pick: Washington WR Denzel Boston

Comment: It feels like the Browns will go receiver with one of their two first-round picks. Ohio State’s Carnell Tate could be an option at No. 6. Instead they get Boston here, adding size and contested catch ability to their room. 

25. Chicago

The pick: Toledo S Emmanuel McNeil-Warren

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Comment: The Bears made multiple additions on defense, including signing safety Coby Bryant from Seattle. McNeil-Warren gives them a versatile chess piece to move around all over. 

26. Buffalo

The pick: Georgia LB C.J. Allen

Comment: A potential Cowboys selection heads to Buffalo instead here. The Bills could use some linebacker help. 

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27. San Francisco

The pick: Alabama OT Kadyn Proctor

Comment: The end of Trent Williams’ Hall of Fame career is coming soon. Proctor has incredible talent, but could use some time. In San Francisco he would get it. 

28. Houston

The pick: Clemson DE T.J. Parker

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Comment: I nearly went with another Clemson prospect in lineman Blake Miller here. Instead, Parker adds some pass rush ability and versatility to a defense that already has a lot of it.

29. Kansas City

The pick: Clemson DT Peter Woods

Comment: Woods was once looked at as a potential top-10 pick. The Chiefs sit back, wait and allow that talent to fall to them with the pick they acquired from trading Trent McDuffie to the Rams.

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30. Denver

The pick: Texas LB Anthony Hill

Comment: I’ve had this pick in the first three drafts and will likely have it in the next one, too. The former Denton Ryan star fills a huge need for the Broncos, who were represented at his pro day in Austin.

31. New England

The pick: Arizona State OT Max Iheanachor

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Comment: Did you see that video of head coach Mike Vrabel doing pass rush drills against Iheanachor at Arizona State’s pro day? That was enough for Vrabel to get a hands-on look at his future tackle.

32. Seattle

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The pick: Tennessee CB Colton Hood

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Comment: Feels like the rich get richer in this scenario. The defending Super Bowl Champions add a corner that I nearly had the Cowboys taking at No. 20. 

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