The Cowboys hold two first-round picks in the upcoming draft, and what the franchise does with them is a fascinating watch.
How the Dallas Cowboys will approach the first round of the NFL Draft has been a big topic of discussion over the past couple of weeks.
Having No. 12 and No. 20 in their back pocket, the Cowboys can nearly go in any direction they want. That includes trading up, trading back, or staying put and letting the draft board fall to them.
So everything is on the table.
Initially, Dallas sitting tight at No. 12 was thought to be the plan, but over the past week, rumors that the Cowboys want to trade up to select a top defensive player have been gaining steam.
While the thought of moving up to No. 3 was rumored, it was quickly shut down as Dallas would have to give up over half of its draft hand to have one selection.
But the Cleveland Browns at No. 6 remain a possible candidate for Dallas to swing a trade with.
And again, the thought of the Cowboys moving up has been brought to our attention with ESPN's Jordan Reid, based on what he's hearing, thinking it's a strong possibility.
"Trading up continues to be a possibility, especially if there's a player they have high on their board who backslides a tad," Reid said. "Safety Caleb Downs (Ohio State) and edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr. (Miami) are believed to be players whom the Cowboys would maneuver for, as Dallas reportedly sees both as instant-impact game changers on defense."
This isn't the first time Dallas moving up has been mentioned, but perhaps the more interesting and exciting thing is this isn't the first time the Cowboys have been linked with Downs or Bain as genuine options.
Christian Parker's defense has gotten a handful of new faces with Rashan Gary, Jalen Thompson, and Cobie Durant, so things are moving in the right direction.
But then, if we add a player like Downs, Bain, or even Sonny Styles (Cowboys trade up), suddenly Dallas has the foundation for a defensive resurgence in 2026.
Our Mike Fisher is skeptical about the idea of Dallas moving up for Bain and is suggesting that inside The Star, it's Styles who is considered the most likely target of such a trade-up.
With so many avenues to go down in the draft, the Cowboys could very well have two Day 1 starters for Parker.
Or, as many are now thinking, the Cowboys could trade up and take a transformational defensive player with their first pick.