The Dallas Cowboys have a clear need with less than a month remaining until the 2026 NFL Draft. Last season, with the addition of George Pickens to the mix, the offense was firing on all cylinders. However, the defense was underwhelming all year long.
Now that the draft is near, the organization has a variety of directions it could take. But the fan base has a clear idea of where it wants the team to focus, given its glaring roster needs.
Dallas Cowboys’ Defensive Focus in the 2026 NFL Draft
The Micah Parsons contract saga dominated conversations throughout the 2025 offseason. Ultimately, no extension was granted, and he was traded to the Green Bay Packers. The repercussions on the Cowboys’ defense were immediate and immense.
Despite adding other players like Kenny Clark, Logan Wilson, and Quinnen Williams, the team finished dead last in PFSN’s Defense Impact metric. That kneecapped their ability to make a real playoff push, as they ended the season with a 7-9-1 record.
This offseason, they have traded for Rashan Gary while also trying to add depth to the secondary. But for most of the fan base, that still needs to be their No. 1 priority heading into the 2026 NFL Draft.
Using data compiled from Cowboys users in PFSN’s Mock Draft Simulator, there is a clear pattern among Dallas fans about what they want from their team. With two first-round picks at their disposal, the overwhelming majority of the selections have come on the defensive side of the ball.
In total, defensive positions account for 87.9% of the total selections made with those two picks. Among the defensive positions, the majority of the focus was on the secondary, with cornerbacks accounting for the largest share at 28.2% and safeties accounting for 18.1%.
Here are the top-10 most-popular picks Cowboys users of the Mock Draft Simulator are making across their two first-round selections:
1. Akheem Mesidor (EDGE) from Miami (FL) – 9.8%
2. Caleb Downs (S) from Ohio State – 9.1%
3. Jermod McCoy (CB) from Tennessee – 8.4%
4. Mansoor Delane (CB) from LSU – 8%
5. Sonny Styles (LB) from Ohio State – 6.8%
6. Dillon Thieneman (S) from Oregon – 6.6%
7. Colton Hood (CB) from Tennessee – 6.2%
8. Keldric Faulk (EDGE) from Auburn – 5.5%
9. CJ Allen (LB) from Georgia – 5.5%
10. Avieon Terrell (CB) from Clemson – 3.9%
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One thing is abundantly clear: Cowboys fans want Jerry Jones and Co. to bolster the defense early and often in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Safety and cornerback positions are two areas the fans want to focus on, despite Mesidor from Miami leading the way as a potential replacement for Parsons at the edge rusher spot.
