Amidst all the rampant speculation of what Dallas is going to do in the 2026 NFL draft, the Cowboys managed to settle on something important and gave fans something to smile about when they reached a huge deal with kicker Brandon Aubrey.
That, though, won’t distract from trying to guess what the Cowboys are going to do in the draft, and a new seven-round mock draft out has Dallas stocking up its defense, which sure seems an obvious way to guess. That starts with a safety from Oregon, who seems likely to be available when the Cowboys get to their No. 12 pick.
But wasn’t Dallas going to trade up with that pick? That’s still out there, too. Here’s how Dallas is spending its final hours before Thursday’s draft.
Brandon Aubrey Cowboys kicker
Now, some good news for Cowboy fans: They re-signed their best player.
Kicker Brandon Aubrey, who was previously offered a second-round tender as a placeholder, has reached a deal with the Cowboys that will make him the highest-paid kicker in NFL history. Aubrey and the Cowboys agreed to a four-year, $28 million ($7 million per year) deal, with $20 million guaranteed.
Houston Texans kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn ($6.5 million per year) was the previously highest-paid kicker.
Dallas Cowboys mock draft
ESPN’s Jordan Reid has a new seven-round mock draft out, and he has the Cowboys using its first seven picks on defense before picking up a Texas A&M running back with their final pick. So this exercise starts with some credibility.
Here are his picks for Dallas:
12. Dillon Thieneman, S, Oregon
20. Chris Johnson, CB, San Diego State
92. Kaleb Elarms-Orr, LB, TCU
112. Max Llewellyn, Edge, Iowa
152. George Gumbs Jr., Edge, Florida
177. Latrell McCutchin Sr., CB, Houston
180. Bryson Eason, DT, Tennessee
218. Le’Veon Moss, RB, Texas A&M
Of Thieneman, Reid writes: “The Cowboys need a ton of help on defense after giving up the most points in the NFL last season, and Thieneman is a safety who would be capable of cleaning up a lot of Dallas’ issues on the back end. He’s capable of playing on the roof of the defense at free safety while also being able to run the alley and be reliable in run support. Thieneman has continued to rise throughout each stage of the predraft process, so don’t be surprised if he comes off the board this early.”
Jimmy Rolder Cowboys draft
Speculation around the Dallas Cowboys draft has understandably centered around their two first-round picks, but they have six more picks after that, including five on the third day, and plenty of needs.
ESPN draft guru Mel Kiper came out with a list of his favorite prospects at every position (not top prospects, but guys he likes) and his selection for linebacker is already gaining traction as a possible Cowboys day three selection.
That would be Michigan’s Jimmy Rolder. Of Rolder, Kiper writes: “He has versatility and the speed to close on the QB as a blitzer. But I have him graded as an off-ball linebacker, where the 6-foot-3, 238-pounder jumps off the screen. Rolder has the football IQ, diagnose skills and burst to drop in coverage, and he wraps up as a tackler. I had fun watching the Michigan State game, during which he had 10 tackles and a sack and then recovered a fumble. Rolder will be a steal in the early parts of Day 3.”
That would presumably mean Dallas’ fourth-round pick, 112th overall. The Cowboys are certainly in need of a linebacker, but would have to trade up to get one of the top linebackers (Texas Tech’s David Bailey, Ohio State’s Arvell Reese, and Sonny Styles). That makes Rolder a pretty natural target in the fourth round.
Dallas Cowboys draft trade
ESPN’s Adam Schefter has a column out on intel he’s getting ahead of the draft, and he’s in the camp that Dallas could trade up.
Specifically, he presents a scenario where Texas Tech’s David Bailey goes No. 2 to the New York Jets, Notre Dame’s Jeremiyah Love goes third to Arizona and the Tennessee Titans pick Sonny Styles fourth.
Schefter writes: “Then Ohio State edge rusher Arvell Reese − or Bailey, if the Jets take Reese at No. 2 − could slide to No. 5. It would suddenly be very tempting for a team such as the Cowboys to potentially trade up for a top-tier pass rusher. Again, the draft would have to go a specific way for this scenario to play out. But two teams raised this scenario this weekend, wondering if it somehow could unfold this week. It’s exactly the type of scenario that makes the draft so compelling.”
Dak Prescott George Pickens
There are no updates on receiver George Pickens, who has until July 15 to sign the franchise tag offer on the table. Obviously, all preferences would be for him to reach a long-term deal with the Cowboys before then, but there are no indications that discussions have taken place along those lines.
At any rate, quarterback Dak Prescott was asked about Pickens, and he deflected the contract issues, focusing instead on the positives.
“Yeah, we were just working no different than I have any offseason,” Prescott said. “Obviously, first real offseason of George being a part of it and showed up, has been active, has looked great. So super excited, leaving all that those contract talks and that all to the front office.”
Pickens is not allowed in the Cowboys’ facility until he signs a contract.
Dallas Cowboys draft picks
Here is the list of the Cowboys’ picks for the NFL draft, which is April 23-25. The first round is on the 23rd, the second and third are on the 24th and rounds three through seven are on the 25th.
Bret Bloomquist can be reached at bbloomquist@elpasotimes.com; @Bretbloomquist on X.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Dallas Cowboys 2026 mock drafts, Brandon Aubrey is rich after new deal
Reporting by Bret Bloomquist, El Paso Times / El Paso Times
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