Cowboys land workhorse RB, Micah Parsons replacement in 2026 mock draft

The Dallas Cowboys have been in the news cycle for all the wrong reasons as of late.

Following a succesful 2025 NFL draft, they swung a trade for George Pickens, which suddenly had this offseason looking like a major win for the front office. Naturally, they hit the self-destruct button and upset Micah Parsons to the point he requested a trade.

The frustration with the front office over the Parsons situation doesn't take away from the fact that they've done really well when it comes to drafting and developing talent.

MORE: Cowboys’ Micah Parsons drama mirrors familiar (and positive) storyline

While it's impossible to replace Parsons, the Cowboys could find another player capable of generating a consistent pass rush.

Texas A&M EDGE Cashius Howell celebrates a defensive stop during the Lone Star Showdown against the Texas Longhorns | Sara Diggins/USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images

They do that in the second round of this mock draft from Pro Football Network's Jacob Infante.

Before getting to the new EDGE, however, let's look at the workhorse back Infante projects for Dallas in Round 1.

Round 1: Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame

Notre Dame Fighting Irish running back Jeremiyah Love celebrates a touchdown in the second half against Penn State. | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

At No. 12 overall, the Cowboys land Jeremiyah Love from Notre Dame, a featured back who could work in tandem with 2025 fifth-round pick Jaydon Blue. Infante says Love isn't far off from Ashton Jeanty, who is expected to be a game-changer in the NFL.

"Jeremiyah Love isn’t far from the Ashton Jeanty comparisons you’ll hear in this class," Infante writes.

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"He’s a dynamic, three-down runner with impressive burst, vision, balance, and fluid cuts. He drops out of the top ten due to positional value, but he’s a top-ten overall prospect in this class."

Love racked up 1,125 yards and 17 touchdowns as a sophomore. He also had 237 yards and two touchdowns on 28 receptions.

Round 2: Cashius Howell, EDGE, Texas A&M

Texas Longhorns quarterback Quinn Ewers is sacked by Texas A&M Aggies EDGE Cashius Howell | Sara Diggins/USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images

Back at it in Round 2, Dallas lands Cashius Howell from Texas A&M. Infante believes the former Bowling Green defender is in line for a breakout season, which could propel him up draft boards.

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"Keep an eye on Cashius Howell as a breakout star in 2025. He shined as a rotational defender last year, displaying tremendous acceleration and flexibility off the edge."

Howell had 9.5 sacks in his final season at Bowling Green before transferring to Texas A&M. As a redshirt junior, he had 40 tackles, four sacks, and one interception.

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