News Cowboys' 2026 mock draft lands son of Super Bowl champ, Trevon Diggs replacement

It's that time of year again, with NFL Draft season on everyone's minds. While the Dallas Cowboys remain in the NFL playoff mix, it's time to take a quick break from all of the scenarios to see some potential fits for the team moving forward.

Many mock drafts have been projecting an influx of defensive talent for the Cowboys, and that's exactly the direction the latest post-Week 14 mock goes for Big D.

In a new mock draft from Josh Edwards of CBS Sports, the Cowboys go heavy on defense in the first round at two major areas of need.

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Not only do the Cowboys get younger in the secondary with a potential Trevon Diggs replacement, but the team lands a much-needed impact linebacker with a national championship to his name.

Clemson Tigers cornerback Avieon Terrell celebrates a play against the South Carolina Gamecocks at Williams-Brice Stadium. | Jeff Blake-Imagn Images

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

A closer look at the Cowboys' latest projections in the new CBS Sports mock draft can be seen below.

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

UCLA Bruins running back Anthony Woods runs the ball as Ohio State Buckeyes linebacker Sonny Styles makes the tackle | Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images

Styles is a former five-star recruit who has always lived up to expectations, winning a national championship and earning first-team All-Big Ten honors with the Buckeyes.

"Sonny Styles may get overlooked because of Arvell Reese's play, but Styles is playing as well as any other defender in the country," Edwards writes. "He has good size and could finally quench Dallas' thirst for impactful play at the linebacker position."

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.

Styles is the son of former NFL linebacker and Super Bowl champion Lorenzo Styles, who played for the Atlanta Falcons and St. Louis Rams during his career.

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Pick No. 28 (via Packers): Avieon Terrell, cornerback, Clemson

Clemson Tigers cornerback Avieon Terrell celebrates after stopping a fake punt attempt by Troy Trojans | Alex Martin/Greenville News / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Fans and pundits have been urging the Cowboys to get younger in the defensive backfield, and the 2026 draft will present a great opportunity with Clemson standout Avieon Terrell.

Like Styles, Terrell has NFL lineage, with his brother, AJ Terrell, starring for the Atlanta Falcons.

"Dallas has invested a lot of resources into the game's most volatile position, and it has not paid off for them. The selection of Aveion Terrell allows the Cowboys to get younger and more inexpensive," the mock states. "Moving on from Trevon Diggs would save nearly $13 million towards the salary cap next season. The team addressed its need at linebacker earlier in the round."

This season, Terrell may not have recorded an interception, but he has been all over the field with 48 total tackles, nine passes defensed, five forced fumbles, 4.5 tackles for a loss, and three sacks.

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