Dallas Cowboys dream draft: Cowboys are "Going for the Downs"

It's NFL Draft Day, and the Dallas Cowboys have not one but two first-round picks. So, straight out of the Big Green NFL Draft Scouting Notebook, here's the 2026 Dallas Dream Draft!

The old baseball expression "going for the Downs" applies to this year's Cowboys draft. The Big Green Notebook says the Cowboys will knock it out of the park if they can land Ohio State safety Caleb Downs and then trade down for extra picks in this draft.

Former NFL scout Daniel Jeremiah, now an NFL Network draft analyst, is convinced there's a decent chance that the player the Cowboys most covet (Downs) will still be available for them to select at pick No. 12. So, let's get started on the mock draft to end all mock drafts.

First round, pick No. 12: Caleb Downs, Safety, Ohio State

Downs might be the best defensive player in this draft. The only reason he could possibly still be on the board for Dallas at pick 12 is because the league traditionally hasn't valued the safety position. 

However, the 6-foot, 206-pound Downs is much more than a safety. He will be the "quarterback" of the defense and a player who could become the face of the franchise. 

Downs started 14 games as a true freshman under Nick Saban at Alabama. When Saban retired, Downs transferred to Ohio State, starting 30 games over two seasons and leading the Buckeyes to a national championship in 2024. 

Highly intelligent and mature beyond his 21 years, Downs can be used by defensive coordinator Christian Parker much like he used Cooper DeJean in Philadelphia the last two years. Or in Cowboys parlance, think Darren Woodson. 

Downs is a rare safety who covers like a cornerback, tackles like a linebacker and blitzes like an edge rusher. Ohio State defensive coordinator Matt Patricia, a longtime Bill Belichick protege in New England, calls Downs "one of the smartest players I've ever coached."

First round, pick No. 20: Trade down

Dallas needs to acquire more top 100 picks to fill their many needs and the 20th pick is likely the sweet spot for wheeling and dealing. Cowboys trade pick No. 20 Miami for pick No. 30 and second-round pick No. 43.

First round, pick No. 30: Trade down

Two trade-downs means Dallas gets two more much-needed players. There are a lot of good players in this range of the draft, so get as many of them as you can. Cowboys trade pick No. 30 to New Orleans for No. 42 in the second round and No. 73 in the third round.

Second round, pick No. 42: Anthony Hill, Linebacker, Texas

A 5-star recruit out of Denton Ryan High School, the 6-foot-2, 238-pound Hill started all three years at middle linebacker for the Longhorns. He's very athletic, running the 40-yard dash in 4.51 seconds and a 37-inch vertical jump, and just turned 21 in February. 

Hill has the same kind of energetic, engaging and enthusiastic personality as fellow former Longhorn linebacker DeMarvion Overshown.

Second round, pick No. 43: D'Angelo Ponds, Cornerback, Indiana

Ponds is clearly the most accomplished cornerback in this draft. The only reason he's being evaluated as a second-round prospect is because of his lack of height (5 feet, 8 ½ inches). However, he makes for it with his 43 ½ inch vertical and a tenacious play style. 

Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti recruited Ponds to James Madison University, where he started as a true freshman. Ponds then followed Cignetti to Indiana where he helped turn the losingest team in college football history into a 16-0 national champion in two years. Cignetti says Ponds was the best player on the Hoosiers team.

Third round, pick No. 73: Elijah Sarratt, Wide Receiver, Indiana

Staying in the Hoosier state with another Cignetti transfer from James Madison, the 6 foot 2 ½ inch, 210-pound Surratt earned the nickname "Waffle House" because he's always open. 

Cignetti calls Surratt the most driven player on the Indiana team. "Ball is everything to Elijah," he said.

Third round, pick No. 92: Dani Dennis-Sutton, Edge, Penn State

No edge rusher put up better athletic numbers at the scouting combine than this 6-foot-6-inch 256-pounder, who ran a 4.63 40-yard dash with a 39 ½-inch vertical, 10-foot-11-inch broad jump, 6.90-second cone drill and 26 bench press reps of 225 pounds. 

Those numbers are comparable with perennial Pro Bowler Danielle Hunter, another "Big Green Notebook" favorite who was overlooked in 2015 and wasn't drafted until late in the third round. 

Dennis-Sutton racked up 17 sacks the past two seasons. Former Penn State head coach James Franklin said, "The thing that separates him is his motor. He is driven. He eats, sleeps and dreams football and wants to be special."

Fifth round, pick No. 152: Kaelon Black, Running Back, Indiana

Why not go with all Hoosiers with the three fifth-round picks too? Kaelon Black is another James Madison transfer who, along with Roman Hemby, rushed for over 1,000 yards last season. 

Black is a powerfully built 5-foot-9, 211-pounder with 4.45 speed and put up 27 bench reps at the combine. He's a mature pro with an underdog mentality who is willing to do the dirty work.

Fifth round, pick No. 177: Pat Coogan, Center, Indiana

A transfer from Notre Dame, the 6-foot-5-inch, 311-pound Coogan was the leader of the national champion Hoosiers' veteran offensive line, much like he was the year before when he helped the Fighting Irish advance to the national title game. He's a highly respected team leader who makes up for average athleticism with intelligence and dependability.

Fifth round, pick No. 180: Aiden Fisher, Linebacker, Indiana

The Big Green Notebook loves this Jason Witten College Man of the Year finalist who started 28 games at middle linebacker for Indiana's stingy defense the last two years. Fisher is another Hoosier who began his college career at James Madison. He's a confident, vocal, well-spoken leader who called the signals on the Indiana defense.

Seventh round, pick No. 218: RJ Maryland, Tight End, SMU

35 years after drafting Russell Maryland with the No. 1 overall draft pick in 1991, the Cowboys select his son to close out this draft. A Southlake Carroll graduate, the 6-foot-4, 236-pound Maryland has 4.5 speed and caught 119 passes with 19 touchdowns in his career at SMU.