I've done some mock trading which can result in 4 day 1 & 2 picks. It's 100% not realistic, but fun exercise. I find myself taking two LB's. Usually a Styles or CJ Allen in the 1st and then a Trotter or Rodriguez in the 2nd. I think that would be huge for our defense.

That being said, what is realistic is Dallas spends some real money for a quality starting LB in free agency. Still likely that we draft one with our two 1st rounders. That will give us 2 guys that project to be studs for us and we can always keep our fingers crossed that Overshown stays healthy / returns to pre injury form.

Im just going to toss this out there for a few opinions because I dont really know the answer but the Cowboys defense doesnt really seem to be close to having the correct personnel to be an effective 3-4 defense nxt yr…. and yes i know they werent very effective last yr either.
Dlinemen and lb'ers specifically

alvtimes said:

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Im just going to toss this out there for a few opinions because I dont really know the answer but the Cowboys defense doesnt really seem to be close to having the correct personnel to be an effective 3-4 defense nxt yr…. and yes i know they werent very effective last yr either.
Dlinemen and lb'ers specifically

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IDK, I actually think they are set up pretty well on the DL. Osa, Q Williams & Clark are a pretty salty 3.

They def need more LBers. But Overshown is good and I think Ezeiruaku can play one of the OLBer spots. They need to prob sign two LBers and draft two more.

Agreed. I think our front is set up really well for this. The biggest need is LB. We need Overshown to stay healthy and we need young guys James and Liufau to step up their game.

That being said, I fully expect us to sign at least 1 legit LB in free agency and it's VERY likely that we pick up another in the 1st round. It's considered a very strong LB draft class so it makes sense.

The other big need, if you listened to CP's press conference, is a nickel DB. Also a very strong draft class for this spot.

This defense is not completely void of talent... I think everything is right there for us to do a complete 180 and compete on D.

Apparently they offered Aubrey 7.5 mil/yr but he's holding out for 10.

jr15aggie said:

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Agreed. I think our front is set up really well for this. The biggest need is LB. We need Overshown to stay healthy and we need young guys James and Liufau to step up their game.

That being said, I fully expect us to sign at least 1 legit LB in free agency and it's VERY likely that we pick up another in the 1st round. It's considered a very strong LB draft class so it makes sense.

The other big need, if you listened to CP's press conference, is a nickel DB. Also a very strong draft class for this spot.

This defense is not completely void of talent... I think everything is right there for us to do a complete 180 and compete on D.

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Watching the cowboys when they were healthy on defense last year was fun. They had some bad breaks injury wise and a terrible coach. Plug a few studs in there with a better scheme and the cowboys could be scary. Mid season last year when they started playing together I really thought they would be a scary wildcard playoff team no one wanted to see (like the Rams).

He has the same agent as Dak.

It was about that time that Flus started actually scheming up pressure. It was working..... And then he simply stopped and went back to dropping 7 into coverage and hoping for the best.

Yes I agree

Combine meetings starting to get out there. Update on the interviews so far. Definitely hunting for LB

Updated NFL Combine Meetings for Dallas Cowboys

Formal meetings:

Ohio State OLB Arvell Reese
Ohio State LB Sonny Styles
Georgia LB CJ Allen
Oklahoma LB Kendal Daniels
LSU LB Harold Perkins
Texas Tech LB Jacob Rodriguez
Missouri LB Josiah Trotter
Texas A&M LB Scooby Williams…

— Nicole Hutchison (@nhutchisontv) February 25, 2026

Cashius at 20?

Count Texas A&M DE Cashius Howell along the Cowboys formal interviews. Said the team put him through a mini install with their 3-4 scheme and he could see how he would have a role in Christian Parker’s defense.

— Todd Archer (@toddarcher) February 25, 2026

Given CP's link to Elko I think it's a possibility. I don't love that as a cowboys fan but the fit would probably be pretty good.

Perkins would be an interesting pick. He looked completely out of place in LSU's defense last year (the LSU staff looked as incompetent as ours last year)... but as a 3-4 OLB with a more "attack the QB / ball" role he could be quite good.

On paper (I haven't studied him) he stands out as a definite take on Day 3.

Updated list of the formal interviews. Surprisingly a lot of DTs and no DBs.

Another updated list of #dallascowboys Meetings:

Formals listed here ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/H2YVe7QaAL

— Nicole Hutchison (@nhutchisontv) February 25, 2026

Everybody following the draft knows Caleb Downs by name... I hadn't really watched much of his film until just now. Holy crap, that kid is amazing. I can see why some have him as their top rated player. Friggin heat seeking missle!

I think trading up to go get him is definitely an option. I'd target somebody like Cleveland... the cost would be swapping our #20 with their 2nd rounder #39.

Grab Downs at #6 and then pick up a solid LB at #39. I'd take that!

As the combine is now here, I grow increasingly weary that any of the game changing defenders in the front seven will be available. Word on the street is that Sonny Styles is about to put on a show and chances of him making it out of the top 10 are very small. I could say the same for Caleb Downs even though he's not going to flash physically quite like Reese or Styles. I just don't see the 11 teams in front of the Cowboys passing.

Another aspect of this is it being a pretty deep WR class without a true superstar caliber guy at the top like Nabers or Chase to separate themselves. I think a lot of teams like the Titans, Commanders, Saints etc. are going to say "we can get a good guy in the second to help our QB."

The good news is, if the Cowboys decide to stand pat and not trade up a few spots to get a Bain, Styles, Downs Bailey etc., there should still be some really good DEs available at 20. Probably not the overall caliber of the top group, but guys who would absolutely help this team in a major way.

Overall I think this draft is one of the more interesting ones in recent memory because we aren't shoe horning 3 or 4 QBs into the top 10-15, and teams are likely going to be taking best available for much of the top of the draft outside of the occasional LT/RT.

Yeah, it's becoming more worrisome that the best defenders keep rising (in a year where we desperately need defense). It's also not helping that the Super Bowl was dominated... In a copy cat league everyone wants to load up on D this year.

But the good news is that I still feel like our biggest need is LB and Safety/Nickel back. This draft has both.

Aubrey is insane asking for $10 mil. Bro you're a kicker!

Zachary Klement said:

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Aubrey is insane asking for $10 mil. Bro you're a kicker!

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He's a kicker that started showing his first signs of the yips at the end of the season.

jr15aggie said:

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Zachary Klement said:

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Aubrey is insane asking for $10 mil. Bro you're a kicker!

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He's a kicker that started showing his first signs of the yips at the end of the season.

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He needs a $10 million cure!!!!

Yeah not a chance in hell are you paying a kicker 10 million per year. He's also 30 years old, and while not a bad thing for a kicker, there is naturally an increased injury risk as you get older.

Zachary Klement said:

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jr15aggie said:

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Zachary Klement said:

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Aubrey is insane asking for $10 mil. Bro you're a kicker!

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He's a kicker that started showing his first signs of the yips at the end of the season.

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He needs a $10 million cure!!!!

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If true he's demanding that much, pass. Remember Dan Bailey?

I think I heard the Cowboys offered him $7. The current market leader makes $6.4.... the Cowboys offered to make him the highest paid kicker in the league by a good chunk which is more than fair (that's a 9% increase)

What he's asking for is a 56% increase over the current market.

Not to mention, the first round tender for a kicker is 8 million. Love Aubrey, but if some team wants to pay him that I'll gladly take their first.

And I agree regarding Styles. He sounds like an exceptionally clean eval. Don't think he makes it to 12.

The league as a whole just doesn't value off ball linebackers very much. Reese is an exception because a lot of people will want to use him like Parsons and transform him into a pure pass rusher.

It's the same reason Downs has the potential to drop a bit despite clearly being the best football player in this draft. Safety just isn't view as valuable enough to use a high first round pick on my many decision makers.

Idk if you have heard either, but some of the recent talk is that NFL teams are looking at using Styles as more of an off-ball LBer as well. This increasing his draft stock some.

I gotta share a Voch quote about Brandon Aubrey... it was something along the lines of:

"Maaannnn... $10 Million?!? I'd rather put that money on defense and then I'll pick up the phone and call Kai Forbath for like $38 dollars or something before I spend $10 million on a kicker!"

Rueben Bain:

30 7/8" arm length

6'2" 263lbs

Cashius Howell:

30 1/4" arm length

6'2" 253lbs

While I don't think it's the end all be all, it really hurts both of these dudes draft stock. Howell needs to light up the stop-watch now. If he can show some pretty great speed and get-off numbers I don't think it hurts him as much as it does Bain.

Eesh. They said the knock on Bain was short arms and Howell checks in almost 3/4" shorter.

For comparison... Micah is considered to have shorter NFL arms and he's at 31 1/2". Myles Garrett, on the other hand, has 35 1/4" monsters.


I'm 100% against drafting guys high who have great measurables and 'meh' tape (Shemar Stewart).... but I completely understand when guys with good tape will slide because of bad measurables. It's the NFL... you aren't going to get 3 sacks in a row against a Utah State OT on Sundays!

It is less than ideal, however, I think in the right system these type of guys can still be very good or elite. Micah is a great example this year in GB imo. I thought they moved him around a lot more than in years past, rather than simply just planting him on an edge and told to go. I am sure he did his fair share of that, but if you move these guys off ball some, have them drop into coverage, then rush the QB etc. it limits their negatives (being undersized, lighter, shorter arms).

These types of players are not 4-3 DE's. They cannot lineup down after down after down and be asked to play on the LOS. They will get latched onto and manhandled, and that's what I thought happened to Micah as his time here went on.

Again though, for Howell's sake he needs to light up the stop-watch.

Tksymm7 said:

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Rueben Bain:

30 7/8" arm length

6'2" 263lbs

Cashius Howell:

30 1/4" arm length

6'2" 253lbs

While I don't think it's the end all be all, it really hurts both of these dudes draft stock. Howell needs to light up the stop-watch now. If he can show some pretty great speed and get-off numbers I don't think it hurts him as much as it does Bain.

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I always enjoy the combine, because you'll amazing players drop for the dumbest things. Jerry Rice, Terrell Suggs, and Aaron Donald are all HOF players that got dinged for their measurables. I'd be happy with either one on the Cowboys, and maybe this makes one of them drop to us in a good spot

Oh I think you'll see Bain drop for sure now. Idk how far, but I would guess the teams in the top five or six might pass. He's already not a crazy twitchy DE, so you add that with that short of arms and it'll scare some teams away without a doubt.

I love him personally and wouldn't pay a ton of attention to it, but it's definitely something. I also thought he was taller for some reason. I thought he was 6'4".

Malachi Lawrence is making himself some money with his combine performance. Listening to Broaddus earlier and he's calling his shot that the Cowboys take Cashius at 20.

Official 40-yard dash for EDGE group:

4.50 - David Bailey
4.52 - Malachi Lawrence
4.54 - Trey Moore
4.59 - Cashius Howell
4.63 - Dani Dennis-Sutton
4.64 - Jaishawn Barham, Romello Height
4.66 - George Gumbs Jr.
4.67 - R Mason Thomas
4.68 - TJ Parker

— Dane Brugler (@dpbrugler) February 26, 2026

Yeah, I def think since the Cowboys are a base 3-4, that puts a guy like Howell squarely on the radar.

Sonny Styles with a 43.5" vertical lol. Yeah he's not making it out of the top 8. I might throw some cash on top 6 haha.