Jerry Jones Reinforces The Defense In A 3 Round Dallas Cowboys Mock Draft

After Parsons was traded, the Cowboys have struggled to get pressure off the edge. Second-round pick Donovan Ezeiruaku had a decent rookie season as a rotational edge. Veteran Rashan Gary was added via trade, but the Cowboys’ edge room could be improved.

Rueben Bain could very quickly become one of Dallas’ best players. His combination of technique, strength, quickness, and bend makes him an extremely dangerous pass rusher who can win with power or speed. He also has a good block-shedding ability and a solid base, allowing him to be a ferocious run defender. His pass-rush package is truly impressive; he can use his hands to chop down blocks, shift his hips to generate power and bend around the outside shoulder, and much more. His intelligence as a pass rusher is a rare trait in this draft class, since he not only has good physical tools but also the mental capacity to fully utilize them.

Bain does have one apparent flaw in his game. He has a good size standing at 6’2 and 263 lbs, but has extremely short arms measured at 30 7/8 inches. The baseline arm length for edge rushers in the NFL is 33 inches. In fact, no edge rusher with sub-31-inch arms has been drafted in the first round in the past two decades, per ESPN. His arm length is less than the first percentile. No edge or defensive end drafted since 2011 who has had sub-31-inch arms has recorded a sack in their first three seasons, per Joseph Ferraiola. So if Bain were to find NFL success, he would be a mathematical outlier.

Even with this red flag, Bain is still a great player. He is nearly perfect in every other part of his game and has shown that he can overcome his shorter arms. He would be slightly out of position in the Cowboys’ 3-4 defensive scheme, but he does have experience playing as an off-ball linebacker.

Round 1, Pick 20: Avieon Terrell, Cornerback, Clemson

The Cowboys have struggled at cornerback for numerous seasons. 2025, in particular, was bad with the 2025 third-round pick, Shavon Revel, being ranked the worst cornerback in the NFL by PFF. Darond Bland was the only solid starter in the slot. The Cowboys did add Cobie Durant as an outside corner, but he was inconsistent for the Los Angeles Rams last year. He provided most of his value as a ballhawk rather than a coverage player.

Avieon Terrell could be the answer that Dallas is looking for at the outside corner and would fill an immediate need. He is a fluid mover and has high-end speed, which allows for good coverage across all areas of the field. He can quickly flip his hips to match wide receivers, making him tough to shed in man coverage in combination with his movement skills.

Terrell is very solid in coverage, but also creates turnovers, totaling three interceptions and eight forced fumbles in three college seasons. He is on the smaller side, which can lead to him getting overpowered at the catch point and against the run. He still plays with a willingness and speed against the run, which prevents him from being a liability. If Terrell can add more weight, he projects to be a very solid NFL cornerback.

Round 3, Pick 92: Kyle Louis, Linebacker, Pittsburgh

The Cowboys also have a massive need at inside linebacker, and did nothing to address it in free agency. DeMarvion Overshown is a solid young player at the position. Dallas’s other projected starter, Shemar James, struggled mightily against the run last year as a rookie, but still has room for improvement.

Kyle Louis is an intriguing prospect who is extremely versatile as a hybrid linebacker and safety box player. He is 6’0 and 220 lbs with great speed for his size, clocking a 4.53-second 40-yard dash at the combine. He is an athletic and instinctual player who can read and make game-changing plays both as a pass and run defender. Currently, Louis still has to be polished as a run defender, as he still struggles to fight through blocks and has an inconsistent tackling technique. He is a developmental player with good tools who can be versatile, especially in a 3-4 defensive scheme like the Cowboys.

End Of My Dallas Cowboys Rant

If the Cowboys were to end up with these players, they would likely get two immediate starters and one developmental player. Bain and Terrell would both have the chance to be the best at their position on the Cowboys from day one: edge rusher and outside corner, respectively.

If both prospects pan out as planned, then Dallas’ defense could potentially be a league-average unit, which would be a huge step in the right direction. The Cowboys already had the second-best offense in the league by yard per game, so fixing the defense should be Jerry Jones‘ biggest priority in the 2026 draft.