New Cowboys mock draft lands Trevon Diggs replacement and a freakish linebacker

The Dallas Cowboys pride themselves on their ability to build their roster through the NFL draft, and they need to hit on their two picks in Round 1 this year to speed up their defensive rebuild.

While there's a chance they use one of those picks on an offensive player, with a tackle being a possibility, most mock drafts are focusing on defenders. With needs at the EDGE, linebacker, and cornerback positions, this feels like the right approach.

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It's also the way Jacob Infante of Pro Football Sports Network believes things should go down. In his latest mock draft, he has the Cowboys adding someone to replace Trevon Diggs with their first selection, followed by a linebacker he calls a "freak of nature."

Pick No. 12: Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU

LSU Tigers cornerback Mansoor Delane celebrates with safety Tamarcus Cooley after a play against the Clemson Tigers. | Ken Ruinard-USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images

Infante has Dallas taking LSU's Mansoor Delane, who is the definition of a shutdown corner.

"With an allowed passer rating of just 26.7 in 2025, Mansoor Delane was a shutdown cornerback for LSU all year. He’s my top corner in the 2026 NFL Draft because of his instincts in coverage, impressive fluidity in space, competitiveness at the catch point, and his physicality as a tackler." - Infante

Delane would be a day one starter and he has the confidence and pass coverage skill to be an immediate difference-maker.

Pick No. 20: Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State

Ohio State Buckeyes linebacker Sonny Styles during the game against the Wisconsin Badgers. | Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

With their second pick in Round 1, Infante has Dallas adding Sonny Styles. He's often overshadowed by teammate Arvell Reese, but Styles is an absolute stud and would be a game-changer for the Cowboys.

"In this 2026 NFL Mock Draft, the Cowboys added a talented Trevon Diggs replacement to their secondary in Mansoor Delane. They’d be smart to take another defender with the pick they got from the Green Bay Packers, especially considering some of the defensive value still on the board in this hypothetical," Infante wrote.

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"Arvell Reese gets a lot of the 2026 NFL Draft hype in that Ohio State linebacker room, but Sonny Styles is a freak of nature in his own right. His instincts have shown plenty of improvement over time, and he’s an explosive, well-built athlete with a large tackling radius and the ability to make plays in coverage."

In a scenario such as this, the Cowboys would need to use free agency to land a defensive end, but there are options they can target.

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