Star-Telegram NFL Mock Draft 2.0: Dallas Cowboys hold on for dear life at No. 12
Happy draft week!
We are approaching one of the more fateful days in the Brian Schottenheimer era, as the Dallas Cowboys are slated to make two first-round selections in the NFL draft on Thursday night in hopes of repairing a defense that was putrid in 2025.
Picking at No. 12 and No. 20, trade conversations have been the topic of discussion in recent weeks with each pick, but how realistic are the options? If they stick-and-pick, who could be there?
After speaking with agents and scouts around the league and looking at mock drafts from respected beat writers and national analysts in recent weeks, here is the final Star-Telegram mock draft ahead of Thursday night’s madness.
No. 1 - QB Fernando Mendoza (Indiana) - Las Vegas Raiders
This feels like the only pick in the first round that’s a given. Las Vegas has desperately been looking for its long-term signal-caller, and Mendoza provides the consistency and professionalism that the Raiders have craved for decades at the position.
No. 2 - OLB Arvell Reese (Ohio State) - New York Jets
The back-and-forth here between Reese and David Bailey among the draft community in recent weeks has been fascinating. I’m sticking with Reese, though. The Jets need immediate pass rush help, and Reese gives them versatility from his off-ball experience paired with his pass-rush ability at Ohio State.
No. 3 - OLB David Bailey (Texas Tech) - New Orleans Saints (projected trade with Arizona Cardinals)
The Cardinals have long been shopping this top-three selection. And while the Saints haven’t necessarily been at the top of this discussion, they have the capital to move up and make the pick here to significantly bolster their pass-rush efforts.
No. 4 - RB Jeremiyah Love (Notre Dame) - Tennessee Titans
Cam Ward was left to fend for himself in a dormant Tennessee offense a year ago. Adding a dynamic weapon in all facets like Love would throw a big boost to the Titans’ young quarterback and in the early tenure of Robert Saleh as head coach.
No. 5 - OT Francis Mauigoa (Miami) - New York Giants
Expect the Giants to go with a top-10 combination of offense and defense after acquiring the No. 10 overall pick in the Dexter Lawrence trade over the weekend. Adding a secure starting right tackle makes the most sense at No. 5, as it begins the run of tackles in the top 10.
No. 6 - WR Carnell Tate (Ohio State) - Cleveland Browns
Cleveland could certainly go offensive line here, especially with Spencer Fano on the board. But considering the offensive line talent should still hold up pretty well by the time Cleveland makes its second first-round pick, adding a dynamic playmaker like Tate to keep him in Ohio makes sense.
No. 7 - CB Mansoor Delane (LSU) - Washington Commanders
The first real pen throw of the draft for the Cowboys could come at No. 7. Dan Quinn takes the draft’s top cornerback by snagging Delane off the board to help a secondary that was somehow worse than the Cowboys’ pass defense a year ago.
No. 8 - OT Spencer Fano (Utah) - Arizona Cardinals (projected trade with New Orleans Saints)
The Cardinals’ first-round strategy works to perfection early on by acquiring day-two draft capital and still getting an elite offensive tackle in the top 10. Now, can they figure out a way to add quarterback Ty Simpson into the mix?
No. 9 - WR Jordyn Tyson (Arizona State) - Kansas City Chiefs
The medicals cleared on Tyson just in time for him to re-enter the top-10 conversation before draft night. His floor should be where Kansas City picks — if the front office decides to stick at No. 9. Giving Patrick Mahomes a playmaker like Tyson would put Kansas City right back in the mix in 2026.
No. 10 - S Caleb Downs (Ohio State) - New York Giants
I just don’t see a reality where John Harbaugh lets an elite safety like Downs go by twice in the top 10 picks of the draft. In a Giants secondary that will need a versatile presence to man multiple holes, Downs could come in as a be-all, fix-all solution if he lives up to the hype.
No. 11 - WR Makai Lemon (USC) - Miami Dolphins
At wide receiver, Jalen Tolbert would be Miami’s No. 1 option if the season started tomorrow. Get the Biletnikoff Award winner instead in Lemon.
No. 12 - LB Sonny Styles - Dallas Cowboys
First, I don’t see the Cowboys trading up unless it’s to No. 9. But even then, I don’t see a reality where Kansas City makes that work. Instead, sticking at No. 12 and keeping two first-rounders seems like the likelier option. With Sonny Styles and Rueben Bain Jr. on the board, the decision to add Styles would be an easy one in Dallas. Don’t discount the possibility of a trade back here, though, if the options are slimmer.
No. 13 - OT Monroe Freeling (Georgia) - Los Angeles Rams
Sean McVay will most likely hope for one of the top three receivers to fall to this spot, but it’s going to be tough if the Chiefs go that direction instead of offensive line. In this scenario, the Rams get the flip-side of that with one of the more athletic linemen in the entire draft.
No. 14 - OG Olaivavega Ioane (Penn State) - Baltimore Ravens
The best interior lineman is off the board to the team that has been linked to him the most throughout the process. It may be tough for Jesse Minter to look past Rueben Bain Jr., but protecting Lamar Jackson has to be the priority.
No. 15 - DE Rueben Bain Jr. (Miami) - Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The idea of Tampa Bay taking anyone other than tight end Kenyon Sadiq exists in my mind if there is a big slide into 15. Bain being available would satisfy that requirement to keep the talented pass rusher in the Sunshine State.
No. 16 - WR Omar Cooper Jr. (Indiana) - New York Jets
One on offense, one on defense. Call that a successful first night of the draft for the Jets to add an impact player on both sides.
No. 17 - OL Kadyn Proctor (Alabama) - Detroit Lions
The Lions will need an offensive lineman with this pick. And while tackle may be the goal and Proctor may project best as a guard in the NFL, this pick gives them flexibility to experiment with a few options up front going into 2026.
No. 18 - S Dillon Thieneman (Oregon) - Minnesota Vikings
Some things just make sense in life, and defensive coordinator Brian Flores getting a rangy safety with three-level impact is one of those things. Thieneman slides into the spot that Harrison Smith held down for over a decade.
No. 19 - TE Kenyon Sadiq (Oregon) - Carolina Panthers
The Panthers have been looking for the right weapon to help stretch the seams in recent years, and Sadiq gives quarterback Bryce Young that freedom.
No. 20 - CB Colton Hood (Tennessee) - Dallas Cowboys
If the Cowboys pick a player in the secondary at No. 12, then I expect this to be a pass rusher. But if it’s anything other than secondary at No. 12, then I’m expecting Hood to be the selection here. The physical cornerback would arrive in Dallas to provide a much-needed boost to the secondary as a potential outside-inside option, although I think his best long-term fit is on the outside where he can use his physicality on bigger receivers.
No. 21 - OT Blake Miller (Clemson) - Pittsburgh Steelers
It’s Mike McCarthy. Seeing him take an offensive lineman with his first draft pick in his new digs would arguably be the least-shocking development of the night aside from Mendoza going No. 1. Fortunately for everyone involved, Miller has some of the best run-blocking tape in the entire class.
No. 22 - DT Kayden McDonald (Ohio State) - Los Angeles Chargers
The Chargers need some reinforcements in the defensive interior. And while Peter Woods and Caleb Banks offer intrigue as well, neither are as safe of a bet as McDonald in this draft class.
No. 23 - DE Akheem Mesidor (Miami) - Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles shockingly lost Jaelan Phillips in free agency, but I think they would be just fine with the trade-off if they knew Mesidor would be available at No. 23. The versatility to move up and down the line would give the Eagles a huge boost to an already solid pass-rush unit.
No. 24 - WR KC Concepcion (Texas A&M) - Cleveland Browns
After grabbing an offensive tackle earlier in the night, adding a playmaker for whatever quarterback gets the privilege of being the next letdown in Cleveland to throw to adds a bit of intrigue to the Browns’ offensive attack.
No. 25 - DT Peter Woods (Clemson) - Chicago Bears
Getting beefier on both sides of the line of scrimmage should be a priority for Chicago going into Thursday night. And with Woods available with his freakish athleticism out of the defensive tackle spot, it’d be hard to walk away much happier if you’re in Chicago.
No. 26 - LB CJ Allen (Georgia) - Buffalo Bills
The Bills are going through a defensive scheme change that is very similar to what the Cowboys are experiencing this offseason. And much like the Cowboys, Allen makes a lot of sense to be the lead communicator for Buffalo’s new 3-4 system.
No. 27 - OT Max Iheanachor (Arizona State) - San Francisco 49ers
An argument could be made to add a player at any spot up front for the 49ers in the draft, and adding a physical, athletic presence like Iheanachor would immediately provide protection for Brock Purdy that he didn’t always have in 2025, leading to injuries throughout the year.
No. 28 - OG Chase Bisontis (Texas A&M) - Houston Texans
Houston needs interior help badly. It may not work out for the Texans, but in this scenario it works out perfectly to where they can keep a Lone Star State product in the area.
No. 29 - QB Ty Simpson (Alabama) - Arizona Cardinals (projected trade with Kansas City Chiefs)
The worst-kept secret of the draft cycle lately has been the Cardinals’ interest in Simpson being strong enough to trade back into the first round to get him on a potential fifth-year option contract. In this scenario, the Chiefs pick up a third-round pick to move back to No. 34 overall.
No. 30 - CB Jermod McCoy (Tennessee) - Miami Dolphins
Grabbing one of the best cornerbacks in the draft is a no-brainer. But when considering McCoy is coming off a torn ACL suffered in January 2025, any team drafting him in the first round has to be willing to be patient in year one. What better team than one already throwing over half of its salary cap into dead money for 2026?
No. 31 - DE Keldric Faulk (Auburn) - New England Patriots
Adding a 6-foot-6, 276-pound edge defender to a Mike Vrabel defense sounds like a match made in heaven, even if Vrabel will need a clear and concise plan to develop Faulk out of the dormant production he suffered from at Auburn.
No. 32 - DE T.J. Parker (Clemson) - Seattle Seahawks
After losing Boye Mafe in free agency, adding a physical edge like Parker puts the Seahawks’ pass rush right back into the top tier that helped push them to the Super Bowl last season.
