26′ Cowboys Mock Draft After the Osa Odighizuwa Trade

Round 1, Pick 12: Keldric Faulk, Auburn

The first thing that stood out to me about Keldric Faulk is the frame.

The Auburn defensive lineman is 6’6” and 276 pounds, which already looks like an NFL defensive end before he even steps onto the field.

The Cowboys are trying to build a more physical front, and Faulk fits that perfectly.

During his Auburn career, he recorded 109 tackles, 19.5 tackles for loss, and 10 sacks across 37 games.

What I think really stands out when watching Faulk is the way he plays the run. he locks out offensive tackles, controls the edge, and forces plays back inside.

Having Faulk, Rashan Gary, Quinnen Williams, and Kenny Clark could create the best run-stopping defenses in the league.

Keldric Faulk coming to Dallas and getting help from renowned pass rushing expert Brandon Jordan to help Faulk along will only increase the impact he has on defense.

Round 1, Pick 20: Jacob Rodriguez, Texas Tech

I just can’t get away from Jacob Rodriguez. This guy does everything asked of him and at a high level.

If the defense needs a leader in the middle, Jacob Rodriguez will take on that task and excel.

Rodriguez brings heart, high football IQ, and a work ethic that this defense has lacked in the middle for several years. He was also one of the most productive linebackers in college football.

He finished his college career with 315 tackles, 13 forced fumbles, 6 interceptions, 12 pass breakups, and 6 sacks, which should tell you exactly what type of player he is.

Jacob Rodriguez even led the FBS with seven forced fumbles in a single season, which is wild production from a linebacker.

He may not be the biggest at 6’1” and 233 pounds, but he moves well enough to get sideline to sideline, but what separates him is his instincts and how quickly he reads plays.

This is a player who will become the heart and soul of the defense and remain that for many years to come. This draft pick may be a little high for him, but I think he will go much earlier than expected.

Round 3, Pick 92: Malik Muhammad, Texas

This is the kind of pick I love making in a mock draft because Malik Muhammad in the third round could turn into one of the best value selections in the entire class.

He brings legit speed to the position and is listed at 6’0” and 182 pounds which gives him enough size to compete with outside wide receivers while still have the quickness to mirror routes.

At Texas, he appeared in 41 games and recorded 97 tackles, 3 interceptions, and 16 pass breakups. This showed me he consistently stayed involved in the Longhorns secondary.

Don’t get me wrong, he is not the perfect prospect. Some scouts have pointed out that his tackling can be inconsistent, and he’s not the most physical, but neither was Trevon Diggs, and we got a few good years out of him.

Adding a young corner with speed and upside makes a lot of sense late in the draft.

Dallas Doubles Down on Pass Rush

I like adding pure pass rushers and these next two guys give you that extra boost off the edge.

• Keyron Crawford
• Max Llewellyn

I need the Cowboys to create waves of pass rushers and these two give you great depth to accomplish that feat.

This is how you wear down an offensive line from tackle to tackle.

Late Round Picks Add Speed and Depth

I used the later rounds in the draft to fill the roster with high-end developmental players.

Aaron Anderson, a wide receiver from LSU, adds speed and potential special teams value, especially if KaVontae Turpin starts declining.

Thaddeus Dixon from North Carolina gives Dallas another defensive back to develop.

Owen Heinecke, a linebacker from Oklahoma, proved depth and could contribute on special teams.

We all know late round picks in the draft don’t have to start right away, but they need to have traits that can be developed, and these three give you some pretty good traits.