Cowboys Draft Rumors Point to 3 Unexpected Picks Dallas Could Make in Round 1

The Dallas Cowboys could throw a curveball on Thursday night in Round 1 of the 2026 NFL Draft. Here's three potential picks that would qualify.

Tennessee defensive back Colton Hood. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

When it comes to the Dallas Cowboys, Jerry Jones and the NFL Draft, nothing is set in stone.

The entire world expects the Jones and the Cowboys to go with all defense in Round 1 on Thursday night or, at the very least, to take a defender with the No. 12 overall pick (or with a trade up).

But we're already potentially setting up to have an upset with the Cowboys' first pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.

We'll talk about that and more as we go over three unexpected picks the Cowboys could make in the first round of the draft.

Jordyn Tyson at No. 12

Arizona State Sun Devils wide receiver Jordyn Tyson. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Jerry has already made it quite clear that taking an offensive player is on the table in Round 1, despite Dallas' defensive needs.

"That's alive and well. Given the right circumstances, you have to look at offense," Jones said of going offense in Round 1.

If we were to place a bet on which player that is, it would be Arizona State wide receiver Jordyn Tyson, who ESPN's Adam Schefter reports the Cowboys "love" after the team attended Tyson's private workout.

Schefter did not rule out Dallas taking him with its first pick in the draft, either.

"But I do think there's some Jordyn Tyson love there, again, as well," Schefter said when discussing possible options at 12.

There would be so many things wrong with such a pick. The last thing the Cowboys need is to spend significant resources on a wideout, especially given how dire things are on defense, something Jones is quite aware of.

"I'll tell you, when you have the challenges we had last year, there's no place to go but up on the defensive side of the ball," Jones said last month. "Had we played a lick of defense last year, we would've had ourselves, I think, a real playoff run."

Furthermore, the Cowboys already sport an elite receiver duo with CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens. At most, the Cowboys should start looking to add a wide receiver in the third round because the team could use more depth at the position.

Even if there is a plan to trade Pickens at some point, we still think 12 is too early to grab a wide receiver. Let's just hope Jones thinks the better of such a move.

Dillon Thieneman at No. 12

Oregon defensive back Dillon Thieneman. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

It wouldn't be a shock to see the Cowboys take Dillon Thieneman at No. 20, but it's a different story if Dallas springs for the Oregon safety at No. 12.

There are very few mock drafts out there that believe Dallas will make such a pick, but CBS Sports' Ryan Wilson thinks it could happen.

His reasoning has to do with the fact that he's hearing the Cowboys "really like" Thieneman.

NFL Network's Daniel Jeremiah has also posited that the Oregon product could be an option for Dallas with its first pick after he connected the dots.

"The Cowboys have a glaring need in the secondary and it's the safety position," Jeremiah said on The Joel Klatt Show. "I think Thieneman could be the 12th pick in the draft."

"Tosh Lupoi, who we've just established loves Thieneman, along his journey, where was he at? He was at Alabama. He was there from 2014 all the way to 2018," Jeremiah continued. "He was the co-DC in 2017. You know who was coaching in that secondary? It was Derrick Ansley. You know who coaches DBs for the Dallas Cowboys right now? Derrick Ansley. That's why I've been saying I think Thieneman could be the 12th pick in the draft."

Thieneman's stock has surged throughout the pre-draft process and he is a good fit for Dallas' defense. Still, that won't make his selection at No. 12 any less surprising.

CB Colton Hood at No. 12 or 20

Tennessee Volunteers defensive back Colton Hood. | Wesley Hale-Imagn Images

Along with Thieneman, Wilson reports that the Cowboys also "really like" Hood, who has also seen his draft stock rise. It isn't clear if Wilson meant as the No. 12 or 20 pick, but he did include the nugget on Hood in his section for Dallas' No. 12 selection.

Either way, selecting Hood would be pretty surprising, and that's especially true at No. 12.

Hood was more of a fringe first-round pick at the beginning of the pre-draft process, but now he appears to be in contention to be the second cornerback off the board, partly because of the fall Jermod McCoy has experienced because of injury concerns.

While McCoy was linked to the Cowboys quite often in the months leading up to the draft, Hood has barely been talked about as a potential pick for Dallas, even at 20.

In fact, as far as we can tell, NFL Network's Bucky Brooks has been the only other one outside of Wilson to really suggest Hood for Dallas.

"Colton Hood, to me, strikes me as being a Cowboy because I believe he's a right now player," he said. "His instincts, awareness, when you watch him move around, he does all those things that pros need to do. There is an immediate runway for him to get on the field."

Hood would be a good fit with Dallas. His best spot figures to be on the boundary, but he could also play in the slot if needed. The Cowboys have question marks at both spots, which makes him a realistic target for Dallas in Round 1. We would view him as an option at No. 20, not 12, though.