The NFL draft is one week away, and anticipation is building as countless players prepare to see their dreams come true, while teams look to shape their future amid the drama that comes with each selection.
One team that continues to be an intriguing spot heading into next Thursday’s first round is the Dallas Cowboys who hold the No. 12 overall pick and could go in an array of different directions, but will likely all focus around a defensive player as they ranked as one of the worst defenses in the NFL last season.
Several names have been thrown around, but according to The Ringer’s Todd McShay, a longtime draft analyst, he predicted in his latest mock draft released on Wednesday that Dallas is going to make a blockbuster move right out of the gate.
McShay has the Cowboys trading up from No. 12 to the No. 6 spot with the Cleveland Browns to select star linebacker Sonny Styles from Ohio State, a player who can do just about everything at LB position and measures at 6-foot-5, 244 pounds.
“Beyond the off-the-charts testing, Styles is widely regarded as one of the smartest players in the draft,” McShay wrote in his report. “One executive told me that he’ll run a company when his football days are over. He should step in and improve the football IQ of this defense and help clean up the play at the second and third levels.
If there’s any question about the value in trading up for an off-ball linebacker, just look at what the Eagles did last year: Vic Fangio and Parker moved up for Jihaad Campbell, and his impact showed up immediately.”
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He’s the biggest player at the position in the entire draft, yet still ran a blazing 4.46-second 40-yard dash, tied with his Ohio State teammate Arvell Reese and matched for the fastest 10-yard split with Namdi Obiazor at 1.56 seconds.
During his four seasons with the Buckeyes, he helped win a national championship in 2024 while recording 244 total tackles, 22.5 tackles for loss, 9.0 sacks, nine pass deflections, three forced fumbles, and one interception.
In this mock trade, which could potentially come to fruition, McShay has the Cowboys sending their No. 12 and No. 92 overall picks in this year’s draft, along with a 2027 second-round pick, in exchange for the No. 6 overall selection. The move would allow them to jump up six spots and into the top 10.
The trade would also give Dallas several potential options at that range, as Ohio State safety Caleb Downs would likely still be available — another player who has been linked to the Cowboys in recent draft speculation.
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