Cowboys Ideal Round 1 Draft Picks Include Ballhawk CB, Violent EDGE

Last season, the Dallas Cowboys traded Micah Parsons to the Green Bay Packers, and because of that deal, they go into the 2026 NFL draft with two picks in Round 1.

Dallas has made moves to shore up its defense this offseason, trading for EDGE Rashan Gary while signing multiple defensive backs, including safety Jalen Thompson and cornerback Cobie Durant. There's still work to be done, and the Cowboys are likely to use each of their first two picks on defenders.

NFL.com's Eric Edholm expects them to do this as he identified a ballhawk cornerback as their ideal pick at No. 12 and a violent pass-rusher at No. 20.

Round 1: No. 12 overall: Jermod McCoy, CB, Tennessee

Jermod McCoy runs during Tennessee Football Pro Day 2026, at the University of Tennessee. | Angelina Alcantar/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Tennessee cornerback Jermod McCoy has become the consensus favorite selection for the Cowboys at No. 12, and Edholm says he's the ideal fit.

McCoy was considered one of the premier cornerbacks in the NCAA during the 2024 season when he broke up nine passes and had four interceptions, but a torn ACL suffered in January kept him out of action this past season. He's now healthy and blew scouts away with a strong showing at his Pro Day. McCoy ran the 40-yard dash in 4.38 seconds and had a 38-inch vertical jump as well as a 10-foot-7-inch broad jump.

Dallas might be wary since they haven't had the best of luck when it comes to players rehabbing ACLs, but McCoy would be a perfect fit provided he's healthy.

Round 1: No. 20 overall: Akheem Mesidor, Edge, Miami

Miami Hurricanes DE Akheem Mesidor celebrates after a sack against the Indiana Hoosiers. | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Akheem Mesidor is an interesting player. As Edholm says, he's a violent and explosive player who racked up 12.5 sacks for Miami.

"After keeping McCoy in this spot from my most recent mock draft, I switched it up a bit with the second pick. Mesidor might not make it to No. 20, depending on when the run on edge rushers starts, but he’d provide an excellent burst of energy, violence and quickness for a defense that could use big doses of each. I do think a trade down is in play for Dallas, given how long the wait is until its next pick in Round 3 (No. 92 overall), but it was not hard to turn in this pick for the simulation," Edholm wrote.

As good as he was for the Hurricanes, Mesidor is 25 years old and dealt with his own share of injuries. Dallas shouldn't be too concerned about the age, however, especially since they're more concerned with winning now.

—Sign up for the Cowboys Daily Digest newsletter for more free coverage from Dallas Cowboys on SI—