Blogging The Boys
It's never too early to look ahead to the future for the Cowboys.
How early is too early to start looking ahead to next year's NFL draft? That's a trick question, because it's never too early. It's all in fun at this point because we still have no way of knowing which players will enter the draft next year or where they will end up being slotted, and where teams will pick, but it's still a fun exercise to do.
We used Pro Football Network's draft simulator to do a way-too-early 2026 three-round mock draft for the Dallas Cowboys. Despite upgrading their roster with their 2025 draft picks, they still have quite a few roster "needs" not only for this year, but next year as well. We tried to keep that in mind for this mock draft exercise.
Peter Woods is the fourth-ranked player on PFN's big board and right now he is projected to be the first defensive tackle drafted in the first round in 2026. The 6'3", 315-pound DT is the kind of player the Cowboys need in the middle of their defensive line. His quick burst off the line and his ability to anchor down against the run make him a great fit in Matt Eberflus' 4-3 defensive scheme as either a 1- or 3-technique.
PFN has Carnell Tate ranked as their 63rd player, but many project him to end up being a first-round selection in the 2026 NFL Draft. He will play second fiddle to Jeremiah Smith next season, but the 6'3", 190-pound WR has a talent to be a go-to receiver in his own rights. Pairing him with CeeDee Lamb would give the Cowboys a dynamic WR duo for years to come and take Dallas' entire offense to a different level.
Jaydn Ott was an electric, homerun hitting running back during his time in California and it's going to be really interesting to see how things play out for him after transferring to Oklahoma. The 6'0", 210-pound RB could be exactly the kind of explosive playmaker Brian Schottenheimer is looking for for Dallas' backfield. Anytime he touches the ball as either a runner or receiver he's a threat to take it to the house.
