Cowboys 7 Round Mock Draft: Rueben Bain Kicks Off Impressive Defensive Haul

For many football fans, the NFL draft is an unofficial holiday. What used to be a ticker on ESPN is now a full-blown event, and will take over Pittsburgh this weekend.

For the Dallas Cowboys, Thursday night is going to be key. They hold two of the first 20 picks and could be active. They're looking for impact players on defense, and Jerry Jones said they were already fielding calls leading up to the draft.

With the stage set, we have one final seven-round mock draft. While there's been buzz about Dallas looking at offense, with Jordyn Tyson standing out as an option, this mock is heavy on defense as we attempt to fix that unit.

Round 1, Pick 12: Rueben Bain Jr., EDGE, Miami

Miami Hurricanes defensive lineman Rueben Bain Jr. against the Louisville Cardinals. | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

In this mock, Miami defensive end Rueben Bain Jr. falls to the Cowboys at No. 12. During the early part of the pre-draft process, this seemed highly unlikely, but there will be teams that look elsewhere due to concerns about Bain's arm length.

The Cowboys benefit from this as they bring in one of the top talents in this class. Bain had 15.5 tackles for loss and 9.5 sacks for the Hurricanes in 2025, using his incredible power to destroy opposing offensive linemen and wreck the pocket.

Round 1, Pick 20: Jacob Rodriguez, LB, Texas Tech

Texas Tech Red Raiders linebacker Jacob Rodriguez warms up before the game against the BYU Cougars. | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Back on the clock at No. 20, the Cowboys now grab Texas Tech's Jacob Rodriguez. Not only does Rodriguez fill their greatest need at linebacker, but he's a turnover waiting to happen. This past season, he had 128 tackles, four interceptions, and tied the record for the most forced fumbles in a season with seven.

Should Rodriguez come anywhere close to that type of production in Dallas, he's going to be a very popular player. It would also be a huge help for an offense that had very few short fields in 2025.

Round 3, Pick 92: Malik Muhammad, CB, Texas

Texas Longhorns cornerback Malik Muhammad celebrates after an interception during the game against the Oklahoma Sooners. | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Dallas doesn't have a pick in Round 2, but they're back on the clock in Round 3 with the pick they received from the San Francisco 49ers in exchange for Osa Odighizuwa. They use this selection to strengthen their secondary, taking Texas cornerback Malik Muhammad.

Muhammad played three seasons at Texas and was solid in coverage, while also providing good run support. He recorded 30 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, and two interceptions during his final season.

Round 4, Pick 112: Bud Clark, S, TCU

TCU Horned Frogs safety Bud Clark reacts after making an interception against the Oklahoma State Cowboys. | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

In Round 4, the Cowboys again bring in more secondary help by selecting TCU's Bud Clark. During his final season with the Horned Frogs, Clark earned a coverage grade of 75.7 and a run defense grade of 84.2 from PFF. He had four interceptions in 2025 and 15 for his career, which would give the Cowboys a potential ball hawk, something they lacked last year.

Round 5, Pick 152: Austin Barber, OT, Florida

Florida Gators offensive tackle Austin Barber celebrates after a first half touchdown against the Georgia Bulldogs. | Jeff Swinger-Imagn Images

After taking four consecutive defenders, the Cowboys select an offensive player in Round 5. Florida offensive tackle Austin Barber has experience at both right tackle and left tackle, which makes him an ideal candidate for the swing tackle position. Dallas needs someone who can push Terence Steele and Tyler Guyton and Barber could provide them with that.

Round 5, Pick 177: Malik Benson, WR, Oregon

Oregon Ducks wide receiver Malik Benson makes a catch for a touchdown against the James Madison Dukes. | Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

Malik Benson spent time with the Cowboys this offseason and was impressed with the amount of research Dallas did. Benson is one of the fastest wideouts in the class, evidenced by his 4.37 speed in the 40-yard dash. During his lone season at Oregon, Benson had 719 yards on 43 receptions and scored six touchdowns. Five of those touchdowns were from 40 yards or more, which would give Dallas a much-needed deep threat.

Round 5, Pick 180: Trey Moore, LB, Texas

Texas Longhorns LB Trey Moore attempts to get into the backfield against the Mississippi State Bulldogs. | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

The talent is there with Trey Moore, but finding his fit in the NFL will be key. He was a force off the edge for UTSA, recording 14.5 sacks in 2023. He never had that same impact with Texas, but still had 14.5 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks in two seasons.

He doesn't have ideal size to play on the edge in the NFL, but has enough speed to play inside linebacker and has shown flashes in that role as well.

Round 7, Pick 218: Bryson Eason, DT, Tennessee

Tennessee defensive lineman Bryson Eason during the NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

With their final pick in this mock, the Cowboys add some power to their defensive line. Bryson Eason is a 323-pounder who used to play linebacker. Eason is someone who does the dirty work at the line, which is a thankless job, but a necessary one.

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