Cowboys’ 3-round 2026 NFL Draft according to PFF mock draft simulator after Packers’ playoff loss

A rare opportunity has arrived at the perfect time for the Dallas Cowboys. For all the frustration surrounding them, the 2026 NFL Draft represents something they haven’t had in years: leverage. After another uneven season, Dallas enters the draft armed with two top-20 first-round picks. Those include the Packers’ No. 20 selection following Green Bay’s Wild Card loss to the Chicago Bears. That reality fundamentally changes the Cowboys’ offseason calculus. Instead of patchwork fixes and bargain hunting, Dallas has the draft capital to reshape its identity. If the goal is to stop wasting elite quarterback play, this draft is where the pivot must finally happen.

Season recap

The Cowboys’ 2025 season ended with a disappointing 7-9-1 record under head coach Brian Schottenheimer. It marked their second straight year outside the playoffs. On the surface, the record tells one story. Dig deeper, and the contrast between units is jarring.

Dak Prescott delivered one of the most productive seasons of his career. He threw for 4,552 yards and 30 touchdowns while operating one of the league’s most efficient passing attacks. Week after week, the offense put Dallas in position to win. Week after week, though, the defense gave it right back.

Dallas finished last in the NFL in passing defense and points allowed. That’s a historically poor outcome for a franchise that once prided itself on defensive playmakers. The offseason trade of Micah Parsons and the retirement of Zack Martin loomed over the year. However, it was the secondary’s inability to hold up and the front seven’s lack of consistent pressure that defined the collapse. Against playoff-caliber teams, Dallas simply couldn’t get stops. By December, the late-season skid felt inevitable.

Draft needs

There is no ambiguity about Dallas’ needs entering the 2026 NFL Draft. This is a defense-first operation.

Edge rusher, cornerback, safety, and linebacker all require immediate attention. This comes after a season that exposed depth issues, aging veterans, and inconsistent performers. With two first-round picks (No. 12 and No. 20), Dallas has the ammunition to add cornerstone defenders rather than rotational projects.

The controversial Parsons trade now looks like a strategic reset. The Cowboys used the acquired 2027 first-rounder to help land Quinnen Williams. That stabilized the interior defensive line a it. The remaining draft capital offers a chance to rebuild the perimeter and restore balance to a roster that leaned too heavily on Prescott, George Pickens, Javonte Williams, and CeeDee Lamb.

Wide receiver could enter the conversation if the aforementioend Pickens walks in free agency, but that is a secondary concern. This draft will be judged almost entirely by how much it improves a defense that was arguably the worst in the league.

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

The Packers’ pick

The Cowboys’ possession of the Packers’ No. 20 pick stems from one of the most impactful trades of the 2025 offseason. Just before the season began, Dallas sent Parsons to Green Bay in exchange for a 2026 first-round pick, a 2027 first-round pick, and DL Kenny Clark.

Green Bay’s early playoff exit locked that selection into the 20th slot. This gives Dallas two premium picks in the top 20. The long-term ripple effect has already begun, but the immediate payoff comes now. Very few teams pick twice in this range. Only the Cowboys and New York Jets will do so this year. Fewer still do so while having a franchise quarterback in place.

Take note, though, that the Cowboys currently don’t have picks in the second and third rounds this year.

Round 1, pick 12: CB Jermod McCoy, Tennessee

Jermod McCoy fits Dallas’ most glaring need almost too cleanly. He has the size, length, and athletic profile to play press-man coverage at the NFL level. That is something the Cowboys desperately lacked in 2025. His sophomore tape shows a defender comfortable disrupting routes at any point. He has impressive ball production driven by anticipation rather than reckless gambling.

The previous ACL injury will be part of every evaluation. That said, the upside is undeniable. McCoy’s first-step explosiveness and physicality at the line give him true CB1 potential. Beyond raw traits, his understanding of spacing and route concepts stands out. In pattern-match and zone-heavy looks, McCoy processes quickly and closes throwing windows with urgency.

Dallas doesn’t need perfection on Day 1. It needs a defender capable of changing how opposing quarterbacks approach the secondary. McCoy offers exactly that.

Round 1, pick 20: OL Spencer Fano, Utah

Sure, defense dominates the conversation. However, Spencer Fano represents a smart example of Dallas resisting tunnel vision. Fano may not carry the prototype bulk of some tackles. Still, his technical polish is rare for a prospect in this range.

He plays with excellent pad level, flexibility, and hand strength. That allows him to generate movement in the run game and remain composed in pass protection. His versatility across schemes fits a Cowboys offense that values adaptability up front. This is especially true after losing long-time stalwart Zack Martin.

Fano projects as a plug-and-play starter with long-term upside. For an offense built around Prescott’s timing and rhythm, stability up front matters. Fano provides it without sacrificing physicality or intelligence.

Dallas has options

This mock draft reflects a Cowboys team learning from recent failures. Rather than chasing splash moves or short-term fixes, Dallas uses premium capital to invest in foundational players. One pick stabilizes the secondary. The other protects the quarterback.

It’s not flashy. It’s necessary.

The Packers’ playoff loss didn’t just end Green Bay’s season. It gave Dallas a rare chance to reset its trajectory. If the Cowboys get this draft right, the 2026 offseason could mark the moment they finally stopped wasting elite offense and started building a complete team again.

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