The 5 most important positions for the Cowboys in the draft 

Entering the offseason, the Dallas Cowboys have a lot of holes to address. While the defense stood out as the team’s most glaring concern, the offense still has some under-the-radar areas to supplement. After some blockbuster trades this past season, the Cowboys have six draft picks currently, and possibly some compensatory picks. That said, Dallas will have limited ammunition to fill needs. Looking at where the Cowboys stand, here are the five most important positions for Dallas to set their sights on.

Whether you agree or disagree with the Cowboys’ decision to trade Micah Parsons, the move left an undeniable hole at edge rusher. Couple his departure with DeMarcus Lawrence leaving to go to the Seattle Seahawks, and the Cowboys were severely hampered in creating pressure at the edges. The need for someone to be “the guy” should be a priority for the Cowboys in the draft.

As admirable as it is, Jadeveon Clowney leading the team in sacks (8.5) despite signing with the team after the season began doesn’t look good for the rest of the team. Further still, Clowney is set for free agency and may have garnered extra attention on the market with his resurgent season. Donovan Ezeiruaku has upside, but it didn’t translate to sacks in his rookie year. Couple that with Sam Williams and Dante Fowler also heading for free agency, and the cupboard looks barren for the Cowboys heading into next season.

Names to know:

Keldric Faulk
David Bailey
Cassius Howell
Reuben Bain
Gabe Jacas

The Cowboys’ cornerback position was in shambles. Entering the offseason, the Cowboys knew that Trevon Diggs was battling to recover from a knee injury, and so the Cowboys started to bolster the position. Dallas traded for Kaiir Elam, hoping that he had some untapped potential as a first-round pick of the Buffalo Bills. Elam was waived midway through the year. As for Diggs, he had several occurrences that caused fractures with the front office, including suffering a concussion at home that placed him on injured reserve and Diggs opting not to travel back to Dallas with the team on Christmas, which ultimately led to his release.

DaRon Bland, Dallas’ other top corner, didn’t perform as well last year as he was often limited by injuries and recently underwent foot surgery. There was a lot of pressure placed on rookie Shavon Revel to step in and play well immediately, and as you would expect, he was challenged by opposing quarterbacks with disappointing results. The Cowboys need more bodies that defend in man coverage and provide better resistance than in 2024.

Names to know:

Mansoor Delane
Aevion Terrell
Malik Muhammad
Jermod McCoy
Domani Jackson

It’s arguable that the linebacker group was the most disappointing position group for the Dallas defense last year. When the Cowboys acquired Kenneth Murray from the Tennessee Titans, Dallas was expecting veteran consistency, and Murray was consistently bad. He was graded 86 out of 88 qualified linebackers per PFF and had the third-worst missed tackle percentage of his career. He played a majority of the snaps at linebacker, a clear indication that former defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus had a lot of faith in him, yet he woefully underachieved.

Jack Sanborn, who came over with Eberflus from the Chicago Bears, didn’t leave a great impression either. The uneven play from the veterans opened the door for Shemar James to get adequate playing time as a rookie, but the position is far from settled. Dallas goes into 2026 expecting a step forward in James, but also Marist Liufau. Only DeMarvion Overshown feels like a sure thing. However, the Cowboys, leaving no stone unturned to fix the defense, will have a keen eye on the linebacker crop.

Names to know:

Arvell Reese
Sonny Styles
Anthony Hill
Jacob Rodriguez
Jake Golday

You get the growing sense that safety is going to undergo a swiftest change for the Cowboys. Donovan Wilson is a free agent and will turn 31 years old next month. He’s a big hitter but doesn’t have the range in the secondary the Cowboys need to limit big plays. Meanwhile, Malik Hooker may be a cap casualty for the Cowboys as he carries a $9M cap hit for next year. There aren’t any incumbents on the roster who instill hope that they can be counted on to start.

For a time, there was hope in Juanyeh Thomas, but he was sidelined with migraines last season, and Alijah Clark still needs more time to develop before being a solid contributor on a quality defense. What one also must consider is the influence of the impending new defensive coordinator and the type of safety he wants for his system.Without the shackles of a large, inflexible contract standing in the way, Dallas has their options open for what it could do at safety.

Names to know:

Caleb Downs
Kamari Ramsey
AJ Haulcy
Javon Kilgore
Bud Black

Although four of the Cowboys’ starting offensive linemen were drafted in the top 75, including three in the first round, Dallas still needs to think about adding more help. Right tackle Terence Steele isn’t living up to his $86.8M contract and carries a $16.8M cap hit next season. Dallas could be in line for immediate help should the Cowboys choose to cut bait. Then there’s also Tyler Guyton, who has shown varying levels of consistency at left tackle. He is entering a crucial third year in the league and was practically benched to close the year. That aligns with the Cowboys coveting a swing tackle with high upside that could play if needed as soon as next year. Dallas also has depth concerns. Brock Hoffman is a restricted free agent and could attract attention to be lured away from the Cowboys, with Dallas losing a versatile player who can play all three interior spots.

Names to know:

Kayden Proctor
Francis Mauigoa
Blake Miller
Iapani Lalolulu
Ashton Craig