With the third pick in the 2026 NFL draft, the Dallas Cowboys select David Bailey, edge rusher, Texas Tech!
That would take some maneuvering seeing as the Cowboys don’t have the No. 3 pick, but they could probably buy it for their Nos. 12 and 20 picks and that’s just what USA Today has Dallas doing.
What has vanished in the past week is any kind of consensus. Three of seven mocks rounded up have Dallas taking Tennessee corner Jermod McCoy with the No. 12 pick, but two of those came out last month.
Of the five mocks that have been updated in the last three days, there is no consensus other than that Dallas will draft defense. Let’s take a look.
Dallas Cowboys mock draft
NFL mock draft
Mock drafts are coming out hot and heavy now, as of the seven mocks surveyed, five have a new edition in the last few days.
12. Keldric Faulk, Edge, Auburn. 20. Colton Hood, CB, Tennessee
From Yahoo Sports’ Nate Tice and Charles McDonald, released April 8
12. Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU. 20. Blake Miller, OT, Clemson
From CBS Sports’ Max Renner, released April 7
12. Akheem Mesidor, edge, Miami. 20. Colton Hood, CB, Tennessee
From CBS Sports’ Ryan Wilson, released April 7
3. David Bailey, edge, Texas Tech
From USA Today’s Nate Davis, released April 9. Davis has Dallas trading its No. 12 and 20 picks for Arizona’s No. 3.
12. Jermod McCoy, CB, Tennessee. 20. TJ Parker, Clemson, edge.
From NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah, released March 17.
12. Jermod McCoy, CB, Tennessee. 20. CJ Allen, LB, Georgia
From ESPN’s Mel Kiper, released March 17
12. Jermod McCoy, CB, Tennessee. Akheem Mesidor, edge rusher, Miami
From Fox Sports’ Joel Klatt, released April 8
Jermod McCoy
As much is there is still a conventional wisdom with Dallas it’s that they’ll go with Tennessee’s Jermod McCoy with the No. 12 pick, but he missed last year to injury and there are plenty of reports that he’s off Dallas’ board.
From Cowboys beat writer Nick Harris of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram in an article published Thursday: “Of note, a player who has been commonly mocked to the Cowboys, cornerback Jermod McCoy, was not among the 30 visitors. The Star-Telegram reported after the NFL Combine that he is not expected to be in play for the Cowboys because of his injury history, and that remains the expectation following his Pro Day.”
Dallas is allowed 30 in-person, formal interviews and the Star-Telegram has nailed down 15 of those. They are:
Dallas Cowboys 2026 schedule
The Cowboys’ 2026 schedule is tentatively scheduled to drop on May 13, but Dallas already knows its 2026 opponents. One of their “home games” will be in São Paulo, Brazil.
Worth noting, Dallas has a game at Seattle next season, and traditionally, the Super Bowl winner opens the following season with a Thursday home game against a high-profile opponent.
Home:
Away:
Bret Bloomquist can be reached at bbloomquist@elpasotimes.com; @Bretbloomquist on X.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Dallas Cowboys latest mock draft has team trading up for player
Reporting by Bret Bloomquist, El Paso Times / El Paso Times
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
