2025 NFL re-draft lands Cowboys Defensive Rookie of the Year favorite

The Dallas Cowboys enter the NFL offseason with two first-round picks in the 2026 NFL Draft, so there will be multiple opportunities to improve the roster as the team aims for a bounce-back year.

In last year's draft, the team added offensive lineman Tyler Booker, who was a major addition to the team and put together a strong rookie campaign. While he will be a part of the team's future, a different direction last spring could have changed the course of the defense.

Bleacher Report recently re-drafted the 2025 draft, with the Cowboys turning to the defensive side of the ball and landing a true impact player at one of the biggest positions of need.

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With the No. 12 overall pick in the re-draft, the Cowboys get star linebacker Carson Schwesinger, who was selected by the Cleveland Browns in the second round. Schwesinger's stellar campaign landed him as the favorite to win the Defensive Rookie of the Year award.

Cleveland Browns linebacker Carson Schwesinger celebrates an interception against Baltimore Ravens at Huntington Bank Fiel — Cleveland Browns linebacker Carson Schwesinger celebrates an interception against the Baltimore Ravens at Huntington Bank Field. | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

"Tyler Booker proved to be an excellent addition along the Dallas Cowboys' offensive line. Here's the problem: The Cowboys drastically needed defensive help then and even more so now. The issue became magnified when Cowboys ownership couldn't agree to a contract extension with Micah Parsons and traded him prior to the start of the 2025 campaign," Brent Sobleski wrote.

"The first-year linebacker led all rookies and finished sixth overall with 156 total tackles. Schwesinger displayed great instincts, made plays at or behind the line of scrimmage and didn't look out of place when working in space. He also quickly developed into the Browns' defensive field general."

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That type of production would have been welcomed by the Cowboys' defense, especially with the linebackers struggling with consistency all season long.

While the team whiffed on Schwesinger in 2025, they will have an opportunity to make up for the miss with their two picks in a few months. The 2026 NFL Draft will be held in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, from Thursday, April 23, through Saturday, April 25.