Early chatter anchored on a pursuit of Sonny Styles, the Ohio State linebacker, but the Styles-to-Dallas link has cooled even as the team’s intent to upgrade the defense remains. Several analysts still expect Dallas to pursue a bold trade to secure a top defender.
One highly connected insider, Peter Schrager, recently floated a scenario in which Dallas would trade No. 12 and No. 20 to the Kansas City Chiefs for No. 9 and 29, enabling a run at LSU cornerback Mansoor Delane. The move would address Dallas’ vulnerability on the back end while preserving a first-round pick.
Schrager argues that there’s no guarantee any of the top defenders—Downs, Delane, Rueben Bain Jr.—will be available at No. 12, making a targeted top-10 swap an appealing path to guaranteed impact and draft-day flexibility. Delane’s coverage skills would help blunt big plays and stabilize a secondary that struggled in 2025.
Another facet of Schrager’s plan is a potential defense-focused double dip, using the Cowboys’ second first-round pick to add further talent after landing Delane. He envisions Dallas drafting Malachi Lawrence, the UCF edge-rusher, at No. 29 to bolster the pass rush alongside the new cornerback.
Lawrence has risen on draft boards with a profile of long frame and disruptive production, tallying seven sacks in 2025 and posting strong pressure and hurry numbers across the last three seasons. At 6-foot-4 and 250 pounds, he offers a developmental fit as Dallas looks to upgrade both the front and the back end of its defense.
Overall, Dallas is widely viewed as a team that could pull the trigger on a first-round trade to ignite an overhaul on defense. With multiple scenarios in play, the Cowboys’ strategy appears aimed at securing one of the top defensive prospects while maintaining future flexibility.
