Cowboys Draft: Fixing Defense with Picks 12 & 26

It's April 2nd.

You're listening to NFL News Today, AI-powered football coverage.

I'm Corey with the story.

Dallas Cowboys fans and experts are buzzing about the 2026 draft,

eyeing picks 12 and 20 to fix their defense.

Most agree the team needs linebackers, corners and safeties after a rough season with

missed tackles and coverage gaps.

Names like Sunny Styles, a versatile safety from Ohio State, and Mansour Delane,

or Caleb Downs in the secondary, keep coming up as top targets to bring.

Physicality and range.

At pick 20, talk shifts to boundary corners like Germain McCoy for outside coverage or

linebackers such as CJ.

Allen and Jacob Rodriguez to shore up the middle.

Some push for edge rushes like a keen messador or Rubin Bane to boost pressure,

while others float trading down for more picks since the class fits.

Dallas needs deep.

Reactions highlight the Cowboys' cornerbacks needing help to lead

Doron Blanc slide inside in the linebacker room back into a corner.

Impact can mean more to high safeties, better run fits, and disguising

blitzes, turning a leaky defense into a contender without overhauling.

Everything.

For their third round pick at 92, assuming first round defense, experts

lean offensive line, targeting swing tackles to back up shaky spots.

Terence Steel and Tyler Guidon.

Titans or Y Receivers give mentions too, but depth there means prioritizing

protection to keep the offense humming.

Trade up chatter centers on elite defenders like Arvel Reese for game-changing

pass rush, though most say stay put or move back for volume over.

Stars, keeping options open as free agency shakes out the board.