Cowboys Pass Rush Specialist Working With Ohio State Superstar

Entering the 2026 NFL draft, the Dallas Cowboys have multiple defensive needs, with linebacker standing out as their most glaring concern.

Dallas began the offseason by agreeing to trade for Green Bay Packers pass rusher Rashan Gary in exchange for a fourth-round pick. In free agency, they signed safety Jalen Thompson, cornerback Cobie Durant, and safety P.J. Locke. They added to the defense as well, signing nose tackle Otito Ogbonnia and defensive end Jonathan Bullard.

While they did their best to bolster every position, the Cowboys still have a thin group at linebacker. With the draft approaching, they have only three inside linebackers, DeMarvion Overshown, Shemar James, and Justin Barron on the roster.

The Cowboys don't appear willing to make any more moves in free agency, at least not until after the draft, which makes this a position to watch. Dallas seems to agree, as their coaching staff has met with the top names in the class, including Sonny Styles.

#Cowboys pass rush specialist Brandon Jordan working with LB Sonny Styles. pic.twitter.com/O5EX7SPURV
— Brandon Loree (@Brandoniswrite) April 2, 2026

The Ohio State standout is the best linebacker in the class, and he exploded during the NFL Combine. He might have played himself out of the Cowboys' range, but they're doing their homework anyway. That includes pass-rush specialist Brandon "BT" Jordan doing drills with Styles.

Taking a linebacker at No. 12 overall wouldn't typically be popular, but Styles is a different breed. The former safety plays with great awareness and can help in coverage as well as in run defense. He's also one of the more athletic players overall in this class.

Styles stands 6-foot-5 and 244 pounds and ran a 4.46 in the 40-yard dash. He also had a 43.5-inch vertical jump and 11-foot-2-inch broad jump.

Could Sonny Styles slide to pick No. 12?

Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles speaks during the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

While his talent suggests he should go much higher than No. 12, there's some hope that Styles could slide. This isn't due to anything on his part, but rather the needs of the teams picking before Dallas.

105.3 The Fan's RJ Choppy, Shan Shariff, and Bobby Belt discussed the upcoming draft and noted that none of the teams ahead of the Cowboys have linebacker as a top-three need.

The needs they discussed come from beat writers rather than the team itself. That said, we don't know for sure which franchises are interested in Styles, but there's a sliver of hope that Dallas could luck out.

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