The Dallas Cowboys head into the 2026 NFL Draft with a lot of question marks on the roster. The defense looked rough after trading Micah Parsons, but got slightly better after trading for Quinnen Williams. The offense looked explosive at times, but several key free agents are hitting the market this offseason. So, with this as the Cowboys’ backdrop, we asked the PFF mock draft simulator who the team will take in April. Here are the eight picks it made for Big D through all seven rounds.
Round 1, Pick 12: LB Sonny Styles, Ohio State
The thing about the 2026 NFL Draft is that, after Fernando Mendoza, it’s a real crapshoot as to where the other players will fall. There are a lot of players bunched together with similar grades and similar positional value. So, a player like Ohio State linebacker Sony Styles could go within the top five or drop out of the top 10 altogether.
Off-ball linebackers don’t typically go in the first half of the first round lately unless they have major pass-rush ability. However, Styles could be the exception to this rule as the converted safety is the prototype for the modern middle linebacker.
Styles can range from sideline to sideline, making plays like traditional linebackers, but his safety background means he can cover like a defensive back. This is hugely valuable in the league in 2026, as offensive coordinators are using three-tight-end personnel to trap slower-footed LBs on the field.
The former Buckeye is a true three-down ‘backer, and a chess piece like this could help transform the Dallas D immediately.
Round 1, Pick 20: DT Kayden McDonald, Ohio State
When Jerry Jones traded Micah Parsons, he said it was because he didn’t provide enough help against the run. After the trade, the team still stunk against the run, but after bringing in Quinnen Williams, the D did get better in that regard.
If Jones is serious about creating a defense that can improve on its 23rd-ranked rush defense, Kayden McDonald is his guy. The 6-foot-3, 326-pound Buckeye is the best run-defending defensive tackle in the draft, and next to Williams, would help create a brick wall in the line.
McDonald currently doesn’t offer much in terms of a pass rush, so he would start as a two-down defender. That said, he has the strength, skills, and athleticism to become a pocket-pusher. Maybe the Cowboys’ staff and Williams can help coax that out of him.
Round 4, Pick 112: WR Zachariah Branch, Georgia
George Pickens had a breakout season in 2025 as Brian Schottenheimer and Dak Prescott got the most out of him, while CeeDee Lamb's injuries gave him more of an opportunity to be the WR1. Pickens is a free agent, though, so getting some insurance at wide receiver is crucial.
Zachariah Branch would bring something to the Cowboys' offense that would complement Lamb and Pickens nicely. Branch is just 5-foot-10 and 180 pounds, but he is electric with the ball in his hands.
At his size, Branch may be a bit of a niche player, but with the 40 he will likely run at the combine, he could go well before the fourth round. If he does slide to the Cowboys, though, as he does in this 2026 PFF NFL mock draft simulator run, he would immediately become one of the best and most dangerous WR3s in the league.
Round 5, Pick 150: RB Le’Veon Moss, Texas A&M
The Cowboys ran the ball effectively last season, as Javonte Williams surpassed 1,200 yards on the ground to help give the Cowboys a top-10 rushing attack. Williams and Miles Sanders are both free agents this offseason, so Jones may have to fill the running back position in the draft in lieu of paying Williams due to salary cap concerns.
If that’s the play, Le’Veon Moss would be a good first move in the 2026 NFL Draft. Moss is a big back at 6-feet, 210 pounds and a downhill, zone-scheme runner. He’s also solid in pass protection and a good pass catcher.
Overall, Moss could become a three-down back in the pros, but as a rookie you would still want to pair him with another runner…
Round 5, Pick 177: RB Desmond Reid, Pittsburgh
And in this 2026 PFF NFL mock draft simulator run, that second RB is Pitt’s Desmond Reid. The former Panther is a perfect complement to Moss. At 5-foot-8, 175 pounds, he is a speedy, shifty playmaker.
Reid may not have the build to be a bellcow back at the next level, but as a change of pace behind a stout runner like Moss, this could become a perfect pairing.
Round 6, Pick 215: S Jalen Catalon, Missouri
Back to defense, the Cowboys take Missouri safety Jalen Catalon here, who—you guessed it— is excellent against the run. Catalon is a player who loves coming downhill in the box and helping stuff the opposing running game. He doesn’t have great instincts or athleticism in the passing game, but in Round 6, finding a player who does at least one thing very well is a win.
Round 7, Pick 221: C Jager Burton, Kentucky
Jager Burton is an excellent athlete who can play center or guard at the next level. He does struggle with stronger DTs at times, though, so it may take bulking up his 6-foot-4, 305-pound frame to become a starter in the NFL. He could be a good depth piece as a rookie with his ability to back up three spots.
Round 7, Pick 225: FB Eli Heidenreich, Navy
With three tight ends becoming all the rage in 2025, could the fullback be the next in-demand position in 2026? If versatile fullbacks do become more desirable this season, then Eli Heidenreich will be a steal in the seventh round.
Heidenreich was the fastest in-game running back in the field at the East-West Shrine Game and is Navy’s all-time leading receiver. It’s easy to see him becoming a unique chess piece, ala Kyle Jusczczyk, at the next level.
