Cowboys target veteran edge rusher Akheem Mesidor to bolster their defense, aiming for immediate impact after a significant offseason loss in 2025.
Trading away Micah Parsons last offseason had quite the impact on the Dallas Cowboys, so they could be looking for as close to a replacement as they can get.
And they could look to the draft to find that replacement.
In a recent mock draft by Gennaro Filice of NFL.com, he has Dallas strengthening their defense with a first-round selection that could excite fans in the trenches.
The Cowboys, who are in Indianapolis starting on Monday, own pick No. 12.
But they have another first-rounder, too.
At No. 20 overall, the Cowboys are projected by NFL.com to take Miami edge rusher Akheem Mesidor, adding a seasoned pass-rushing talent to a unit that desperately needs more consistent pressure on opposing quarterbacks.
"Donovan Ezeiruaku, last year’s second-round pick, flashed a well-rounded game in Year 1, but he needs some help on the edge," Filice writes. "Mesidor might be gone by the time Dallas goes on the clock at No. 20, but the Miami product’s advanced age could push him down the board. On the plus side, he might have the most advanced pass-rushing arsenal in this draft after six seasons at the college level."
Mesidor’s path to this point is unconventional. He will soon be turning 25 years old, and his lengthy tenure in college has given him plenty of experience.
In his final season he produced eye-catching numbers that thrust him into first-round conversation despite being older than many of his peers. He finished the year with 17.5 tackles for loss and 12.5 sacks, the latter of which led the ACC.
What sets Mesidor apart is not just his sack totals, but his complete rush plan. Scouts have praised his mix of strength, bend and burst — traits that enable him to beat tackles around the corner or collapse the pocket inside. His back-to-quarterback mentality and ability to impact both pass rush and run defense give Dallas a versatile weapon that could contribute right away.
Of course, no mock draft is a guarantee, and Mesidor’s draft stock has its critics. His age and relative lack of early-career production are talking points among draft analysts and fans alike. He's also had some injury issues during his career.
But for a Cowboys team eager to retool a struggling defense, Mesidor’s advanced skill set could outweigh those concerns, particularly if he can stay healthy and transition quickly to the NFL game - the sort of stuff the Cowboys hope to learn more about this week in Indy.
Replacing Micah Parsons is no easy task to say the least, but the Cowboys need to do what they can to try so that their defense can go back to the overall dominance they once had.