We have finally made it to NFL Draft week. One of the best events on the NFL calendar is set to commence on Thursday night, and there are plenty of hot topics of discussion leading up to the first pick. It seems set in stone that the Las Vegas Raiders will select Fernando Mendoza first overall; after that, it’s a toss-up. Throughout the week, there will be plenty of mock drafts released about what could potentially happen.
One popular occurrence in many mock drafts is the Dallas Cowboys trading up. They hold two first-round picks and are in desperate need of defensive help. If the Cowboys have the chance to move up and select a blue-chip player, they could jump at it.
Could the Dallas Cowboys Trade Up for an Edge Rusher in the 2026 NFL Draft?
One player who has been mocked in the top three in almost every draft is Ohio State defender Arvell Reese. He is a Swiss Army knife listed as both a linebacker and an edge rusher. Whoever selects Reese must have a plan in place for how best to use him in their defense.
According to the latest PFSN mock draft, the Cowboys traded up to third overall with the Arizona Cardinals to select Reese, packaging the No. 12 and 20 overall picks.
NFL draft analyst Jacob Infante wrote about Reese, “An argument could be made that Arvell Reese is the best player in this draft. The 6’4″, 243-pounder is a physical specimen with elite size and length for an off-ball defender, which he pairs with impressive speed and ideal physicality.”
Reese is coming off an awesome season for the Buckeyes, in which he recorded 10.0 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks across 14 games. He showed all the traits teams look for in a top-10 pick, including running a 4.46 40-yard dash at 241 pounds.
Reese would likely start on the edge for Dallas and immediately be their best pass rusher. After trading Micah Parsons last season, the Cowboys could not generate any pressure off the edge, which was one reason they were so poor on that side of the ball.
What Is the Cowboys’ Overall Draft Strategy?
The Cowboys will have to decide if they are willing to give up the No. 20 overall pick to move up for one player. With their defense needing help across the board, standing pat at 12 and 20 may allow them to secure two instant-impact starters, with Reese offering a potential solution to the pass rush void left by Micah Parsons.
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This draft could make or break the Cowboys as they head into 2026. They should be aggressive in improving their roster, and adding young talent could go a long way toward helping them for years to come.
