The Cowboys' defensive strategy, quips from Jerry Jones and a Bill Clinton appearance. What happened at Dallas' pre-NFL Draft press conference
Who's up next for the Dallas Cowboys, and can the team boost its defensive strategy for next season? During a press conference on Wednesday, the Cowboys shared their 2026 first-round expectations ahead of the NFL Draft, along with some words from a former president.
The Cowboys hold two picks in the first round: the No. 12 pick and the No. 20 pick they received from the Green Bay Packers as part of the Micah Parsons trade.
Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones, COO Stephen Jones, VP of player personnel Will McClay and head coach Brian Schottenheimer addressed the media about the team's needs going into draft night.
The Cowboys will likely be looking to shore up their defense, which finished last in scoring in the NFL last year. The latest mock draft from CBS Sports shows the Cowboys taking a cornerback and an edge rusher with their two first-round picks.
The strength of this year's draft
First, the group was asked about the strength of this year's draft, and McClay said they won't know how good anyone truly is until they perform in the NFL.
Both Jerry Jones and Stephen Jones also said that trade talks are always on the table and especially expected on draft night; however, they wouldn't elaborate on whether the team plans to trade up or down. Jerry Jones did confirm that the Cowboys have been receiving calls from other teams.
Jerry Jones said the team is in the midst of being more aggressive to create a better squad and pointed to the record signing of kicker Brandon Aubrey as evidence. He said Dallas now has more flexibility financially to make some major moves on draft night if need be.
"We're really prepared with our options here, probably more so if we just had one pick," Jerry Jones said of having both the 12th and 20th picks of the first round.
Defensive needs
In terms of the needs, the Cowboys are expected to address the defensive side. Dallas is looking to grab a linebacker, a defensive end and cornerbacks. Despite that expectation, the Cowboys are prepared to boost their offense if their defensive picks aren't available.
Dallas has had six defensive coordinators in the last eight years, with Christian Parker leading the helm this upcoming season. McClay said Parker "has done a great job in telling us what he's looking for and how he's going to use it, which increases the vision of how the Cowboys see players.
Schottenheimer was asked about how hard it may possibly be to sit through a draft where the focus is solely on the team's defense.
"Not hard at all," he replied. "We want to win. We have high standards here. We want to find the best players that fit the Dallas Cowboys. If they're defensive players – great."
"I don't think there's a set thing where we got to have those picks in the top 32," Stephen Jones said.
Former President Bill Clinton shows support
In the middle of answering questions, Jerry Jones pointed out that former President Bill Clinton had entered the room.
"I'm negotiating the draft," Clinton joked as he addressed the media.
As Jerry Jones made his way to the former president, he stumbled, causing Clinton and staff to reach out and help.
Jerry Jones quickly recovered and told a story about Clinton after congratulating him on a recent Forbes article that highlighted his accomplishments.
"He's been a wonderful friend over the years," Jerry Jones said.
Clinton thanked him and wished the Cowboys a happy draft day. But Jerry Jones couldn't resist a story about a visit to the White House after winning the Super Bowl.
"When I said hello to him on a personal basis, he listed three deep every player on the Arkansas Razorback national championship team," Jerry Jones said. "He's a good man to have as a fan."
After some laughs, he and Clinton exited for a meeting.
Back to business
Stephen Jones went back to explaining that the Cowboys are heading toward a positive place with both Schottenheimer and Parker at the helm.
Team officials, including McClay, plan to coordinate with both to try to get their needs met with all their picks, highlighting Parker's "brain work" strategy, understanding how each player fits into the Cowboys program.
McClay said evaluating college players has changed with the NIL and the transfer portal, so the Cowboys have to evolve in the way they scout potential additions to their team.
Where do the Cowboys stand with George Pickens ahead of the draft?
Stephen Jones said they plan to have George Pickens play under the franchise tag, "so there won't be negotiation on a long-term deal." It's not the first for the organization, which also tagged QB Dak Prescott in 2020.
"We're certainly fired up to have George on this football team," Stephen Jones said.
Schottenheimer echoed those sentiments and said that he expects the wide receiver to stick around.
Overall thoughts
McClay said he thinks this draft class is at least four rounds deep and the Cowboys will make decisions on how impactful they think each player will be. If that means trading up, down, or for future picks, Dallas is open to it.
