New Cowboys mock draft double-dips with two impact linebackers

The primary concern for the Dallas Cowboys at this moment is finding their new defensive coordinator. After moving on from Matt Eberflus, they're determined to find someone who can get the defense on the same page.

As important as this hire is, the Cowboys also must add more talent on defense. They have ammunition in the 2026 NFL draft, with two picks in the first round. They're expected to be focused on defenders with both of those picks, but a new mock draft has them targeting two players at the same position.

MORE: Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator news tracker, candidates & interviews

Alec Elijah of Pro Football Sports Network released a three-round mock draft and has Dallas taking multiple linebackers. That kicks off at No. 12 with Ohio State's Sonny Styles.

Pick No. 12: Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State

Ohio State Buckeyes linebacker Sonny Styles reacts in the second quarter against the Miami Hurricanes. | Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images

"Sonny Styles’ football intelligence is just as impressive as his physical traits. At over 6-foot-4, he combines elite explosiveness with exceptional strength, placing him among the most physically gifted defenders in college football," Elijah wrote. "He can function as a linebacker in the box, drop back as a safety, or handle responsibilities in the slot."

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Styles is a converted linebacker who has the size to be a force at linebacker but the coverage skills that Dallas lacked at the position in 2025. He's also capable of generating pressure on the quarterback, recording six sacks in 2024 and nine over the past three seasons.

Pick No. 19: Anthony Hill Jr., LB, Texas

Texas Longhorns linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. celebrates after the Kentucky Wildcats fail to score in overtime. | Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

"Anthony Hill Jr. would give Dallas an instinctive and high-impact defender who fits the modern NFL, thanks to the Micah Parsons trade with Green Bay. Hill fits perfectly with the Cowboys’ pressure-heavy philosophy, shooting gaps with explosive power and creating chaos up the middle," Elijah wrote.

"His fluidity and burst enable him to match up with tight ends and running backs, providing the Cowboys with flexibility in sub-packages without tipping their hand. He can align as an off-ball linebacker, walk up as a pressure threat, or be used as a spy depending on the matchup."

MORE: Updated 2026 NFL Draft order has Cowboys eyeing top 20 entering Wild Card games

Like Styles, Hill can help in multiple ways. He's a force in all phases, but can especially cause problems in the backfield. In 2024, he had 16.5 tackles for loss and 8.0 sacks. For his career, he had 31.5 tackles for loss, 17 sacks, and three interceptions.

Adding two linebackers seems like a reach, but Styles and Hill have such versatility that this could actually work.

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