New Cowboys 2027 Mock Draft Lands Massive 6-Foot-5 DB, College Football INT Leader

The Dallas Cowboys fell to 1-2 on the season after a heartbreaking loss to the Baltimore Ravens at Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It was a historic loss for the Cowboys not only because it was the first-ever NFL game in Rio, but because the defense gave up a game-winning drive in just seven seconds.

Much of the conversation in the fallout of Sunday evening's game centered around the poor decisions made by the coaching staff in all three phases of the game, but there was another unfortunate issue for the Cowboys: injuries continued to pile up.

Dallas has been plagued by injuries through the first three weeks of the season, especially in the defensive backfield, with starting safety Jalen Thompson being the latest defensive back to join the injured list. Thompson is expected to miss four to six weeks, so a stint on injured reserve seems likely.

Fellow safety P.J. Locke is already on injured reserve with a torn plantar fascia in his right foot, while starting safety Malik Hooker and starting cornerback Cobie Durant have also missed time.

Dallas Cowboys cornerback Cobie Durant walks off the field with an apparent injury against the Washington Commanders | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

With the secondary ailing, a new 2027 NFL mock draft from Pro Football Network has a perfect solution for the Cowboys' defensive backfield and Christian Parker: enter Cal safety Kingston Lopa.

Lopa is a massive 6-foot-5 safety who is off to a hot start in 2026, and currently leads the NCAA in interceptions, including one that he returned for a touchdown.

A closer look at what Lopa could bring to the Cowboys' defensive backfield can be seen below.

Pick No. 20: Kingston Lopa, Safety, California

California Golden Bears defensive back Kingston Lopa returns an interception for a touchdown against the Syracuse Orange | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

"It’s early in the 2026 season, but the Dallas Cowboys’ defense remains a concern despite all of the major investments they made this offseason. Continuing to plug holes on that side of the ball should be a priority for them in the 2027 NFL Draft. One of the biggest risers in the 2027 NFL Draft class through the first few weeks of the season, Kingston Lopa has five interceptions through just three games," the mock states.

"He’s a gigantic safety at 6-foot-5 and 210 pounds; he moves incredibly well for his size in coverage, and his underneath instincts in coverage allow him to sniff out route concepts and make plays on the ball."

Lopa began his college career with the Oregon Ducks as a four-star recruit and No. 15-ranked safety in the state of California. After the 2025 season, he transferred to Cal, where he immediately made a splash.

In his first game with the Golden Bears, Lopa recorded an interecption before recorded three, including a pick-six, in his second game of the year. Through four games, Lopa has 27 total tackles, five interceptions, one touchdown, one pass defensed, and one tackle for a loss.

Kingston Lopa vs. Syracuse:

🐻 5 Tackles
🐻 3 INTs
🐻 1 Pick-Six@CalFootball pic.twitter.com/4pxMT0o9Vs
— ACC Network (@accnetwork) September 12, 2026

WIth his incredible size and ball skills, Lopa would bring a unique skillset to the Cowboys' defensive backfield that could be intriguing for Christian Parker. And if the first three weeks of the 2026-27 campaign has taught Dallas anything, it's that you can never have enough bodies in the secondary.

Lopa is having a breakout season, so we'll have to see if he can continue performing at an elite level and our next opportunity to see him in action will be Saturday, October 3, against the UNLV Revels at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. ET.

The 2027 NFL Draft will be held from Thursday, April 29, through Saturday, May 1, at the National Mall outside of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C.

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