Cowboys 2026 NFL Draft Buzz Pinpoints One Prospect Dallas Could Trade Up for

The Dallas Cowboys could have their eye on a move up for one of the best defensive prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft.

The Dallas Cowboys logo. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

When it comes to the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, the possibilities are endless for the Dallas Cowboys.

Armed with two first-round picks and a heaping pile of urgency, Dallas can do just about anything it wants, including making an aggressive move up for a defensive player the team covets.

As far as who the Cowboys could trade up for, Zack Wolchuk of 105.3 The Fan pinpoints Ohio State safety Caleb Downs as someone Dallas could make a move up for from pick No. 12 in Round 1.

“I think Caleb Downs could be the guy they are moving up for, if they do," Wolchuk said.

Downs has been widely viewed as one of the best players in the 2026 NFL Draft, so a trade up may very well be necessary to acquire him.

Caleb Downs could last until pick No. 12

Ohio State Buckeyes defensive back Caleb Downs. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

There's also a scenario where Downs falls right into the Cowboys' lap at the No. 12 pick, something RJ Choppy of 105.3 The Fan recently laid out.

"The only team that lists safety in the top three that's ahead of us is Arizona. The problem is Arizona's picking third," Choppy said.

It would obviously be a dream scenario for the Cowboys to not have to trade up and still land Downs, but that's not something Dallas can depend on. If the Clemson product is someone the Cowboys want badly, they shouldn't hesitate to go get him.

Caleb Downs addresses big needs

Ohio State Buckeyes safety Caleb Downs. | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Dallas made a few additions at the safety position this offseason with the signings of Jalen Thompson and PJ Locke, but both are on one-year contracts. Adding to that, Malik Hooker is anything but solidified as a long-term solution and is also on a one-year deal.

Downs can do just about anything on the football field. He's able to play deep, but he really shines in the box and in the slot, a role the Cowboys haven't filled since the departure of Jourdan Lewis, who owner Jerry Jones has lamented losing.

In run defense, Downs isn't afraid to get his hands dirty at the line of scrimmage and could provide a big boost to a Cowboys defense that ranked in the bottom 10 in 2025.

Long story short: Downs is everything the Cowboys are looking for in a safety and he has the tools to make the kind of massive and immediate impact defensive coordinator Christian Parker's unit so desperately needs.