The Dallas Cowboys‘ defense is historically bad, and the team has hinted it will be actively looking for improvements on the defensive side of the ball at the NFL trade deadline.
Dallas also has four first-round picks over the next two NFL drafts, so there will be options for the team to bolster its roster. In a new mock draft from CBS Sports, however, the team bucks conventional wisdom.
Rather than using its two first-round picks to address the defensive side of the ball, Dallas uses its top-15 selection to add another offensive skill position player.
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CBS Sports’ Cooper Petagna shared his latest draft projections and had the Cowboys using the No. 15 overall pick on Notre Dame Fighting Irish star running back Jeremiyah Love.
otre Dame Fighting Irish running back Jeremiyah Love (4) celebrates a first down against the USC Trojans / Michael Caterina-Imagn Images
With the second pick in the first round, Dallas finally addresses the defensive side of the ball, but fails to target a player at its biggest need.
Rather than focusing on a defensive back or linebacker, Dallas picks up an edge rusher, a position that Jerry Jones has expressed confidence in due to the team’s depth.
The 2026 NFL Draft will be held in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, from Thursday, April 23, through Saturday, April 25.
Let’s take a deeper look at the picks.
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Notre Dame Fighting Irish running back Jeremiyah Love celebrates a run in the first half against the USC Trojans / Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images
This season, Love has rushed for 758 yards and nine touchdowns, while hauling in 19 catches for 197 yards, and an additional three scores.
But with Javonte Williams having the success he has had in 2025, it would be a bit of a head-scratching choice.
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“With two selections in the first round, Jerry Jones and company let the board come to them and opt for the best player available at No. 15,” Petagna writes.
“That player is none other than Notre Dame’s Jeremiyah Love — one of the most explosive playmakers in college football. His pure playmaking instincts and home-run ability give the Cowboys a dynamic backfield threat to pair with Dak Prescott for the foreseeable future.”
Arkansas Razorbacks defensive linemen Quincy Rhodes Jr. and Cameron Ball celebrate a stop against the Memphis Tigers / Wesley Hale-Imagn Images
The Arkansas Razorbacks star is having a breakout junior campaign and hails from Jerry Jones’ alma mater, so naturally, he is a player you will have to keep an eye on when the Cowboys are on the clock.
“After selecting Jeremiyah Love earlier in this exercise, Jerry Jones and the Cowboys circle back to address the edge with Arkansas pass rusher Quincy Rhodes,” the article states.
“At 6-foot-6 and over 275 pounds, Rhodes has continued to ascend for the Razorbacks, flashing the length, athleticism and pass rush ability that jump off the screen. His size and physical profile make him a classic Cowboys swing — one that could pay off in a big way on Sundays.
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This season, Rhodes has recorded 31 tackles and seven sacks.
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