Clemson cornerback Avieon Terrell (8) reacts in the second half of an NCAA college football game against Syracuse Saturday, Sept. 20, 2025, in Clemson, S.C. (AP Photo/Jacob Kupferman)
Jacob Kupferman/AP
There’s been a lot of external discussion since the owners meetings in Arizona about the Cowboys potentially trading up from pick No. 12 in the first round of the NFL draft. The Cowboys still have some glaring needs on defense. An elite prospect with the potential to be an instant contributor would be ideal for a defense that could still desperately use it.
But at what cost? When it comes to the Cowboys, that’s always the question. Which is why, in this seven-round mock draft, let’s say the cost is too much for the Cowboys to go up and trade for a guy like Ohio State’s Arvell Reese, or Buckeyes linebacker Sonny Styles, or Texas Tech edge David Bailey.
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In the same vein, let’s say the Cowboys also don’t find a trade partner willing to give enough to move back from pick No. 20.
If the Cowboys are forced to stick and pick with their eight selections, what direction might they go?
Let’s dive into our second, seven-round mock draft.
Round 1, Pick No. 12
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One thing that needs to be hammered home: the first 11 picks could go in a variety of ways. The lack of quarterbacks and, frankly, high end talent at valuable positions, makes the beginning of the draft incredibly flammable, in terms of chaotic potential. The best tackles are mostly right tackles. The group of elite edge rushers includes one player who might be a better off-ball linebacker and another whose short arms have become a major discussion point. There’s one unblemished corner who should go in the top 11.
If a handful of offensive guys go in the top 11 picks, then the Cowboys should be able to land one of the elite defensive prospects at pick No. 12. If that doesn’t happen — and there’s a decent chance it doesn’t — then the Cowboys might be forced to press in a stay-and-pick situation.
If Ohio State safety Caleb Downs is there, then they should select him. The same goes for LSU cornerback Mansoor Delane or Miami’s Rueben Bain Jr. But what if they aren’t?
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I don’t think they’d select Tennessee cornerback Jermod McCoy in this case at No. 12. They already have injury concerns in their secondary and I don’t think they’d want to add to that. I’m not sure on Keldric Faulk here, either, who has a ton of developmental potential. I just don’t think the Cowboys can afford to wait that long.
So, in this case, they settle for Mesidor. In an ideal world, this is someone they could add at pick No. 20 in addition to getting Downs, or Delane, or even trading up for a Styles. I’m not sure he’ll make it all the way to 20, however.
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones specifically pointed to their need for an edge rusher and their potential to draft one as a reason they haven’t re-signed Jadeveon Clowney yet. In an emergency situation here, they fill that need.
Round 1, Pick No. 20
Clemson CB Avieon Terrell
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The closest comparison to former Cowboys defensive back Jourdan Lewis in this draft who actually played slot corner (sorry, D’Angelo Ponds fans) is Terrell — and it’s a comparison I can’t get out of my head. Jerry Jones acknowledged immediately this offseason that they missed Lewis more than they thought they would. Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer also said at the owners meetings that they would like to keep DaRon Bland as an outside corner instead of a slot corner. That’s why I went with Terrell here instead of Tennessee corner Colton Hood, who I think they do have some interest in, as well.
Terrell comes with some concern, however. He didn’t run at the NFL Scouting Combine or Clemson’s pro day. He then attempted to run at a personal pro day, but suffered a hamstring injury on his first try. If the Cowboys feel comfortable with Terrell’s speed and hamstring, then he would make a great fit in Christian Parker’s defense — a unit that should play a lot of nickel this season.
Round 3, Pick No. 92
Missouri LB Josiah Trotter
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The Cowboys already took Parker from the Eagles this offseason. Could they also add an Eagles legacy player in the draft? Trotter is the son of former Eagles great Jeremiah Trotter and the brother of current Eagles linebacker Jeremiah Trotter Jr. Trotter had 13 tackles for loss this past season and could be someone that steps in and plays quickly. The Cowboys are going to add at least one linebacker in this draft. It’s matter of when. In this case, they wait until the third round, where a starting linebacker could certainly be found.
Round 4, Pick No. 112
The Cowboys changed a lot in their secondary this offseason. One guy they retained was veteran safety Malik Hooker. While he’ll be the likely starter at free safety this season, it makes sense for the Cowboys to prepare for his eventual departure. Clark is someone who could eventually take over. The Cowboys were not thrilled, to say the least, about their turnover production a year ago. Clark has the potential to remedy that. He had 15 interceptions the last four seasons combined.
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Round 5, Pick No. 152
LSU LB Harold Perkins Jr.
This is a little bit of a two birds with one stone pick. The Cowboys get some added talent at both edge rusher and off-ball linebacker here with Perkins, who did both at LSU. He had 35.5 tackles for loss in four years and 17 sacks, including 7.5 as a true freshman, when he played off the edge. He’s a super athlete worth taking a shot on here on Day 3.
Round 5, Pick No. 177
Stephen F. Austin CB Charles Demmings
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Remember those injury concerns in the Cowboys’ secondary? It’s a reason they could add multiple corners in this draft. Demmings is an intriguing one. Despite being a zero-star recruit, Demmings developed into a corner that multiple Power Four teams wanted via the transfer portal. He never entered. Here, the Mesquite Horn product goes to his hometown NFL team.
Round 5, Pick No. 180
The Cowboys have done their due diligence on Day 3 running backs, tight ends and wide receivers. It wouldn’t shock me to see them take a break from defense and add someone on offense around this point. Hibner didn’t do much at Michigan behind other NFL-bound tight ends, but he played well in two years at SMU. He also showed impressive athleticism at the combine.
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Round 7, Pick No. 218
Texas Tech WR Caleb Douglas
The Cowboys lost Jalen Tolbert in free agency, and while they really like their starting trio of CeeDee Lamb, George Pickens and Ryan Flournoy, they could add some competition for the fourth and fifth receiving spots. Here, they go with Douglas, who showed an impressive catch radius and sideline presence at Texas Tech’s pro day. He’s also someone who could contribute on special teams.