New Cowboys Mock Draft Continues Massive Defensive Overhaul With Elite Talent

The 2026 NFL Draft is less than three weeks away, and the Dallas Cowboys appear to be hellbent on continuing to rebuild the team's putrid defense, which ranked No. 30 overall in the league last year.

With the draft approaching, Nick Baumgardner of The Athletic shared his latest three-round mock draft, which understandably puts an emphasis on rebuilding the defense.

Dallas lands three defensive prospects in its first three selections, with help coming at all three levels.

The 2026 NFL Draft logo is displayed atop the NFL Draft countdown clock. | Ethan Morrison / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

If the Cowboys can land the impressive haul that is heading its way in the latest mock, Dallas' defense would take an immediate step towards improvement with its trio of new players, who could potentially make an immediate impact.

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

A full look at the latest Cowboys projections from The Athletic for Round 1 through 3 can be seen below.

Pick No. 12: Jermod McCoy, cornerback, Tennessee Volunteers

Tennessee Volunteers cornerback Jermod McCo — Tennessee defensive back Jermod McCoy jogs during warm-ups before a game against the New Mexico State Aggies | Angelina Alcantar/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Rinse and repeat. It appears as though McCoy is the consensus favorite to land in Dallas during the most recent wave of mock drafts, despite some concerns about the Cowboys drafting another cornerback coming off of a serious knee injury. It will be interesting to see if McCoy's Pro Day performance convinces the team to roll the dice, after previously saying there was no interest in players who could be using their rookie season as a "redshirt year."

"If McCoy is healthy and at the level he played as a sophomore in 2024, he’s probably CB1 in this class," Baumgardner wrote. "There’s still some mystery here, though, as we haven’t seen McCoy play a game since his knee injury more than a year ago. "

During his lone season on the field with the Vols, where he earned All-SEC honors, McCoy recorded 44 tackles, four interceptions, and nine passes defensed.

Pick No. 20 (via Packers): CJ Allen, linebacker, Georgia Bulldogs

Georgia Bulldogs linebacker CJ Allen celebrates after a victory over the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Linebacker remains one of the biggest questions on the Cowboys roster, with a lack of overall depth and experience. While Allen would be a rookie, he has the skillset to develop into a green dot linebacker in Christian Parker's defense.

"Kirby Smart’s prototype for what a Georgia linebacker should be, Allen is not only a dynamic playmaker all over the box, but also a coach on the field who could wear the green dot as a rookie," Baumgardner wrote.

Allen recorded 85 tackles, eight tackles for a loss, 3.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, and a fumble recovery during his final year at Georgia.

Pick No. 92 (via 49ers): Anthony Lucas, EDGE, USC Trojans

USC Trojans defensive end Anthony Lucas attempts to sack Utah State Aggies quarterback Bryson Barnes | Jonathan Hui-Imagn Images

Dallas needs to add more talent at edge, so landing a player like Lucas at Round 3 brings some amazing value to the team.

After one year at Texas A&M, Lucas transferred to USC for the remainder of his college career. In 2025, Lucas recorded a career-high 37 total tackles, which was more than double his previous career-high, 2.5 tackles for a loss, 3.0 sacks, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery.

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