Sonny Styles is expected to be one of the top overall picks in the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft. The Dallas Cowboys are rumored to be interested in targeting him, but they may need to trade up for a shot at landing him. However, former NFL general manager Mike Tannenbaum has advised Jerry Jones to avoid doing so.
Mike Tannenbaum Wouldn’t Recommend Cowboys Trading Up For Sonny Styles
The Cowboys currently own two first-round draft picks this year, and both of them are within the top 20 overall selections. Many have suggested they would love to land Styles, but most around the league believe he’ll be off the board by the time they are on the clock.
On ESPN’s “Get Up,” Mike Greenberg presented Tannenbaum with a theoretical trade scenario that would get the Cowboys the sixth overall pick by sending their 12th and 20th overall picks to the Cleveland Browns. The former NFL general manager said he would accept the deal if he were the Browns, but explained why he thinks Jones should pass.
“If I’m Jerry Jones, I would say, ‘Hold your powder,'” Greenberg said. “Here’s the concern… they need two really good players in the first round. I love Sonny Styles, I think he’s a rare off-the-ball linebacker, but ideally, they can get two good, young defensive players. As much as I love Styles, I just don’t know that I would do it if I have to give both ones.”
Tannenbaum described that, given where the Cowboys’ defense currently stands, they would benefit more from drafting two players in the first round, rather than one of the best overall prospects.
Dallas has been rebuilding on that side of the football, and while Styles has elite upside, the NFC East team still has several holes to address.
According to PFSN’s CFB LB Impact Metric, Styles finished last season ranked 56th among all linebackers in college football, but that ranking is deceiving in terms of his draft value. The Ohio State Buckeyes superstar also ranks second among all players on PFSN’s Big Board for this year as a part of an incredible defense that occupies all three of the top spots in the rankings.
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He would clearly fill a need for the Cowboys, who are relatively weak at linebacker, but this still isn’t enough to convince Tannenbaum that it would be a beneficial move.
He believes Jones would be better off sticking with his current picks and doubling up on defenders in the first round.
