ESPN analyst reveals Dallas Cowboys' perfect NFL Draft

ESPN analyst reveals Dallas Cowboys' perfect NFL Draft originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The good news for the Dallas Cowboys is that they have two first-round picks in the 2026 NFL Draft.

The tougher reality is that they've got a lot of work to do.

The Cowboys need, as ESPN's Ben Solak puts it: "Defense, defense, defense."

In a new article on Thursday, Solak broke down how the Cowboys can "ace" their draft.

Overall, they've got picks 12, 20, 92, 112, 152, 177, 180 and 218. That's a lot of chances to pick defense.

"Let's start in the trenches and work backward," Solak writes. "They need an additional pass rusher badly, as Rashan Gary and Donovan Ezeiruaku are useful players but not every-down dominators. Could the Cowboys package pick Nos. 12 and 20 to move up into the top five for Arvell Reese (Ohio State) or David Bailey (Texas Tech)? Or would they instead play the patient game, either to wait for Rueben Bain Jr. (Miami) or go another direction in Caleb Downs (Ohio State safety) or Sonny Styles (Ohio State linebacker)?"

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Solak goes on to suggest that linebackers like CJ Allen and Jacob Rodriguez would be quality targets if the Cowboys don't trade up -- but that they might be best acquired by trading down from No. 20 into the second round somewhere.

He then explains that a nickel corner or a boundary corner could both help, and would determine what happens with DaRon Bland.

"Because the Cowboys have two top-20 picks then no selection until 92, how they address their needs is highly conditional on the players and trades available," Solak writes. "They should be an active trading team, and whether it be up or down depends on how the board falls."