Post Top 10 trade mock draft highlights the Dallas Cowboys' ideal trade partner in the first round: 3 takeaways

Three Dallas Cowboys-centric takeaways from our “mock trade battle” following the latest NFL trade that shook up the Top 10 picks under one week away from the draft.

Draft week is upon us and to celebrate, I took on the Dallas Cowboys’ GM responsibilities in a recent group mock draft where a handful of us at A to Z Sports gamed out what the first round could look like after the latest blockbuster NFL trade.

Now that the New York Giants have two Top 10 picks after dealing DT Dexter Lawrence to the Cincinnati Bengals, we wondered how teams could move in the top of the first round.

For the Cowboys, who could be concerned about the Giants sharing similar interests on defensive prospects, there’s even more urgency to move up. Below is the Cowboys’ mock but most importantly, my biggest takeaways from the group thought exercise.

The Cowboys’ mock trade up and pick

Going in with a strategy to trade up, I had the Cowboys moving up to No. 4 overall from the Tennessee Titans. The details:

• Titans get: No. 12 overall, No. 20 overall, 2027 second round pick
• Cowboys get: No. 4 overall, No. 66 overall (third round)

At No. 4, I had the Cowboys taking LB Sonny Styles out of Ohio State. He’s one of the few blue-chip defenders in this year’s class and he would fill the team’s biggest roster hole ahead of the season.

Again, this isn’t a new scenario at all so I won’t spend too much time on it. Instead, I want to dive into key takeaways that could better explain what the Cowboys’ strategy could look like next Thursday.

1. The Giants may not want Styles at No. 5

Representing the Giants in our mock draft was Joe DeLeone, who hosts our A to Z Sports G Men channel. While part of my efforts to move up to No. 4 were all about securing Styles and keeping him away from John Harbaugh’s squad, DeLeone thinks he wouldn’t be the pick at No. 5.

“I personally think that any love for Sonny Styles at this current moment is probably being done to dupe the Cowboys into wanting to move up and throw a bunch of picks on the table, because I don't think it makes sense,” DeLeone argued. “You just brought in , who's 6’5. I just don't like the idea of having two 6’5 inside linebackers.”