Field Yates' new 2026 NFL mock draft blesses Cowboys with major defensive haul

The NFL regular season is winding down, so the NFL Draft community has been rolling out mock drafts at a rapid rate. While the Dallas Cowboys' playoff hopes remain alive, one slip-up over the final four weeks could put the team in full draft mode.

One of the most respected voices in the draftnik community is ESPN's Field Yates, who dropped his first in-season 2026 mock ahead of Week 15.

Yates dropped his first 2026 mock draft of the year back in August, but a lot has changed in the NFL and college football landscapes in the months that have passed.

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One thing that has not changed is the Cowboys' need for help on the defensive side of the ball, and Yates' newest mock draft reflects exactly that.

Missouri Tigers defensive end Damon Wilson II warms up before a game against the Kansas Jayhawks at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium. | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

Yates has the Cowboys using both of their first-round picks on the defensive side of the ball, addressing two of the team's biggest weaknesses: linebacker and EDGE.

While the secondary also needs some help, those needs could be addressed in the later rounds or during free agency, so Dallas has several options.

A closer look at the Cowboys' defensive haul in Yates' first mock draft of the season can be seen below.

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Pick No. 15: Sonny Styles, linebacker, Ohio State

Purdue Boilermakers wide receiver Nitro Tuggle fumbles as Ohio State Buckeyes linebacker Sonny Styles makes the tackle | Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images

Styles is becoming a common pick for the Cowboys, and he would bring a championship pedigree to Dallas. Not only has Styles won a national championship at Ohio State, but he is also the son former NFL linebacker and Super Bowl champion Lorenzo Styles, who played for the Atlanta Falcons and St. Louis Rams during his career.

"The Cowboys have needs on multiple levels of their defense, which is allowing the second-most points per game this season (29.7). They could address linebacker first with Styles, who has made the impressive transition to the position after beginning his collegiate career at safety," Yates wrote.

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"He has outstanding length, movement skills, and range at the second level. And on top of the coverage skills from his time at safety, Styles can be an effective blitzer when called upon; he had 6.0 sacks during Ohio State's national title run last season."

This season, he has recorded 80 total tackles, five tackles for a loss, one interception, three passes defensed, a forced fumble, and 0.5 sacks.

Pick No. 28 (via Packers): Damon Wilson II, EDGE, Missouri

Missouri Tigers defensive end Damon Wilson II celebrates after recovering a fumble against the Alabama Crimson Tide | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

Wilson transferred to Missouri for his junior season after spending the first two years of his collegiate career with the Georgia Bulldogs. In his lone year at Mizzou, Wilson has recorded 17 tackles, seven sacks, seven tackles for a loss, one interception, and one fumble recovery.

Throughout his career, Wilson has accounted for 10.5 sacks and 13 tackles for a loss.

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"The defensive investment would continue for the Cowboys here via Wilson, who broke out in 2025 after transferring from Georgia before this season. His 9.0 sacks with the Tigers nearly tripled his 3.5 sacks over the first two seasons of his collegiate career," writes Fields.

"Wilson has very good length, first-step quickness and torque to bend the edge. He also brought it in big games this season, with four sacks against teams ranked in the top 10."

The 2026 NFL Draft will be held in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, from Thursday, April 23, through Saturday, April 25.

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