Dallas will have a lot of options at its disposal in the NFL Draft, but what should the franchise do at pick No. 12?
The Dallas Cowboys have made the first steps this offseason to help rebuild the defense for first-time coordinator Christian Parker.
While there haven't been any huge signings, Dallas has made a handful of shrewd moves that should see them improve in 2026.
Granted, the bar isn't exactly set too high from last season under Matt Eberlfus.
For most, defense has to be the only item on the first-round menu for the Cowboys, because there is an urgent need to find players to plug in and start Day 1 for Parker.
With linebacker, corner, and edge all key areas that the Cowboys have to address, in theory, the franchise could fill two of those in the first-round.
But who should the franchise target?
For NFL.com's Adam Rank, in his latest mock draft, his selections are based on what the teams "should" do, and when it comes to Dallas, he has the franchise taking Ohio State's Sonny Styles.
"This is one of those selections that good teams make," Rank wrote. "So maybe not you, Cowboys. I’m kidding! If you let Styles' slide continue, he ends up in Baltimore, where he becomes an All-Pro.
"I really like Styles going to Dallas -- he could be the Cowboys' Fred Warner. The former safety is exceptional in coverage. This would be a tremendous pick."
Now, Rank says this is a pick the Cowboys "should" do.
But the reality is that for this to come to fruition, Dallas likely has to trade up to acquire Styles, and that means parting ways with both first-round picks.
In other words, "should'' is vastly different from "the devil is in the details.''
Will the Cowboys want to make such a move? Well, there are rumors that the franchise could be looking to make a move up in the draft order. But to No. 4? Where most think Styles will still be on the board? That's a big move.
Given Dallas' need for a linebacker capable of leading the defense, and wearing the green dot for Parker, there isn't a better option than Styles.
The only downside is that for a defense that needs good players, not just one, any move up to get Styles will likely mean he will be Dallas' only first-round pick.
Is Sonny the sort of player it is worth doing it for? Maybe ... but not without the knowledge of those devilish details.