‘Supremely Athletic’ LB Named Cowboys Top Developmental Fit in 2026 NFL Draft

Linebacker is a sore spot for the Dallas Cowboys, which is why they should be interested in landing multiple players at the position in the 2026 NFL draft.

Pittsburgh linebacker Kyle Louis during the NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

This offseason, the Dallas Cowboys were focused on fixing their defense. Jerry Jones made a promise that he would do more in free agency than we’ve seen in years, and while he didn’t make any blockbuster moves, Jones did add multiple contributors.

Outside linebacker Rashan Gary gives them a veteran pass rusher while Jalen Thompson will be their top safety. They also added another safety, P.J. Locke, giving them plenty of depth. At cornerback, the signing of Cobie Durant gives them confidence in their starting cornerbacks.

Dallas also added nose tackle Otito Ogbonnia and defensive end Jonathan Bullard. What they didn’t do, however, is add a linebacker.

They could, and should, still look to free agency for some veteran help. The top name on the wish list should be Bobby Wagner, but the Cowboys seem content looking to the draft first. They could find some help thanks to a decent class, but SI.com’s Justin Melo has one developmental player in mind for Dallas.

Melo identified the best developmental fit for all 32 teams, and for the Cowboys, he selected Pitt linebacker Kyle Louis.

”Linebacker has been a multi-year sore spot for the Dallas Cowboys. With Sonny Styles unlikely to make it to No. 12 overall, finding a mid-round fit may be the way forward. Pittsburgh's Kyle Louis is a supremely athletic linebacker with sideline-to-sideline range. Louis is a rising prospect who aced the Senior Bowl and NFL Combine,” Melo wrote.

Kyle Louis is undersized, but was highly productive

Pittsburgh Panthers LB Kyle Louis celebrates after intercepting West Virginia Mountaineers QB Garrett Greene. | Barry Reeger-Imagn Images

At 6-foot-0 and 220 pounds, Louis is built like a safety. He’s not known for taking on blockers, which impacts him in the run game, but he’s still an athletic player who does well in coverage and finds a way to rack up tackles.

His best campaign was in 2024 when he had 101 tackles, 15.5 tackles for loss, seven sacks, and four interceptions. His numbers were down across the board in 2025, which will give some scouts pause.

For the Cowboys, he could be an ideal player to develop for one of the two inside linebacker spots. If he can turn into a starter next to DeMarvion Overshown, Dallas would have a truly explosive linebacker corps.

The key will still be adding a veteran this season, but Louis has plenty of potential.

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