Consensus NFL Mock Draft Leaves Cowboys Defense Short in 2026

The Dallas Cowboys end up with two good prospects in a consensus NFL mock draft, but it’s not enough to fix the defense this season.

Auburn defensive lineman Keldric Faulk during the NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

With the real 2026 NFL draft just one day away, there’s no shortage of mock drafts to be found. Whether you want one focused solely on the Dallas Cowboys, or the entire league, the options seem to be endless.

With so many options, some outlets try and approach things with a different lens. That’s the case in a recent consensus mock from Bleacher Report’s Alex Kay, who utilizes the average draft position for players in some of the more well-known mock drafts to assign prospects to teams.

For Dallas, this ended up giving them two promising players, although it doesn’t do enough to help their defense this season.

Round 1, Pick 12: Jordyn Tyson, WR, ASU

Arizona State Sun Devils wide receiver Jordyn Tyson in action against the Baylor Bears. | Chris Jones-Imagn Images

With their first pick in this mock, the Cowboys bring in ASU wideout Jordyn Tyson. While this feels like an unlikely pick, it’s actually been gaining steam as a possibility. Dallas is loaded at wide receiver but with George Pickens playing on the franchise tag, this would be a move aimed at the long-term.

Cowboys On SI’s Mike Moraitis discussed this possibility recently, and said that Dallas did well with this strategy in 2020 when they selected CeeDee Lamb. However, he also points out that this does nothing to help their defense, which was a mess in 2025.

Round 1, Pick 20: Keldric Faulk, EDGE, Auburn

Auburn Tigers EDGE Keldric Faulk celebrates a stop as Auburn Tigers take on South Alabama Jaguars. | Jake Crandall/ Advertiser / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

With their second pick in this mock, the Cowboys do get help on defense by selecting Auburn’s Keldric Faulk.

Fans have had mixed reactions when Faulk is mentioned as a target due to his lack of elite production at Auburn. Faulk had just 29 tackles and two sacks in 2025, after showing promise with 45 tackles and seven sacks the prior season.

Despite the drop in production, Faulk is seen as a Round 1 pick due to his prototypical size (6-foot-6, 276 pounds) and immense ceiling. Cowboys On SI’s Josh Sanchez said that the 21-year-old is only scratching the surface, and believes his versatility will be put to use under defensive coordinator Christian Parker.

The main concern with this pick is that it might not do enough in 2026 either. As talented as Faulk is, there’s going to be a learning curve, which keeps him from being a plug-and-play starter.

That would make this a tough draft class to grade. If you’re looking long-term, the Cowboys would be adding two potential building blocks. In the short-term, however, they might not see the improvement they need on defense.

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