Cowboys’ 3-round 2026 NFL Draft according to PFF mock draft simulator after 7-9-1 season

The Dallas Cowboys need a reset. After another season that never found its footing, the franchise heads into the 2026 NFL Draft searching for stability, youth, and upside at premium positions. According to the PFF mock draft simulator, Dallas takes a measured approach. The Cowboys must invest in the trenches and the secondary. Dallas must protect the present while planning for the future. It’s not flashy. It is, however, very ‘Cowboys.’

Season recap

Dallas closed the 2025 campaign at 7-9-1. They missed the playoffs for a second straight year and spent far too much of the season stuck in neutral. Offensive inconsistency plagued the unit. The defense oscillated between disruptive and leaky. A brutal midseason stretch saw Dallas go seven consecutive games without a win. By the time Week 18 arrived, priorities had shifted. In a 34-17 loss to the New York Giants, key starters, including Dak Prescott, were pulled early. That was a clear signal that the organization had already turned the page.

There were bright spots, of course. However, they felt isolated rather than structural. Jadeveon Clowney’s late-season surge, capped by a career-high three sacks in the finale, underscored how thin the pass-rush depth had become beyond Micah Parsons. The Cowboys didn’t bottom out. Still, they never truly climbed, either. That’s the most dangerous place to be in the NFL.

Draft needs

Dallas enters the 2026 draft with clear priorities, even if the overall vision remains in flux.
Defensively, the need is quite urgent. With Clowney’s future uncertain, the Cowboys must continue to invest in the defensive line. Cornerback and linebacker depth have also become issues in a division loaded with capable quarterbacks and improving receiver rooms. Add in the need for offensive line reinforcement, and the blueprint becomes clear: premium positions, premium picks.

Here we’ll try to look at and discuss the Cowboys’ 3-round mock draft based on the PFF 2026 NFL mock draft simulator.

Round 1, pick 12: CB Jermod McCoy, Tennessee

With their first selection, Dallas turns to the secondary. They will land Tennessee’s Jermod McCoy. On tape, McCoy looks like the prototype for modern press-man coverage. He’s physical at the line of scrimmage, comfortable hand-fighting through routes, and explosive enough to recover when challenged vertically. His ball production as a sophomore was highlighted by interceptions and forced incompletions alike. Those jump off the screen.

There is risk here, though. McCoy is working back from a torn ACL. Patience will be required as he regains full confidence and fluidity. He can also be overly aggressive against inside releases. That’s something NFL route runners will exploit early. Still, the upside is obvious. If McCoy returns to pre-injury form, Dallas may have found a long-term CB1 who fits perfectly with their desire to play aggressive, man-heavy coverage on the outside.

Round 1, pick 20: T Spencer Fano, Utah

Later in the first round, the Cowboys pivot to the offensive line with Spencer Fano. He is a polished and versatile blocker whose game translates cleanly to Sundays. Fano isn’t the heaviest lineman you’ll find. However, he compensates with leverage, flexibility, and outstanding technique. His pad level is consistently excellent. That allows him to generate movement in the run game and anchor effectively in pass protection.

What makes Fano particularly appealing for Dallas is his scheme versatility. He’s comfortable in zone or gap concepts and shows patience in pass sets. He also possesses vice-grip hand strength to control rushers once engaged. Fano can begin his career at tackle or kick inside in certain packages. Either way, he gives the Cowboys a plug-and-play option who raises the floor of the entire offensive front.

Fitting the bigger picture

Yes, this PFF simulation only details Dallas’ first-round selections. Remember, though, that the Cowboys have zero picks in the second and third rounds. With that, the message is unmistakable. The Cowboys are choosing to stabilize premium positions rather than chase short-term splash. McCoy addresses a cornerback room that needs youth and physicality. Fano shores up an offensive line that must protect Prescott, or his eventual successor, more consistently than it did in 2025.

Notice what Dallas doesn’t do here: reach for a running back, force a wide receiver pick, or gamble on developmental edge rushers early. That restraint suggests confidence in addressing depth later, or through free agency. Meanwhile, they can still use top capital on players who can start early and age well.

Quiet but deliberate

This won’t satisfy fans craving fireworks. However, for a Cowboys team stuck between contention and collapse, this approach makes sense. Dallas adds a potential cornerstone in the secondary and a long-term answer up front. They should reinforce the infrastructure that winning teams rely on.

If the Cowboys want 2026 to be about more than surviving mediocrity, drafts like this are how it starts. They should not be guided by headlines, but with foundations.

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