Cowboys 2026 Draft: Best Fits At Pick 12

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - DECEMBER 06: Ohio State Buckeyes linebacker Sonny Styles (0) lines up on defense during the Big 10 Championship game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and Indiana Hoosiers on December 6, 2025, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, IN. (Photo by Zach Bolinger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Dallas’ first pick of the draft is at number 12 where the board is already screaming defense. The Cowboys are coming off a 2025 season in which they were allowing close to 30 points per game and have questions at every other position group outside of defensive tackle, with the early draft outlook calling out pass rusher and corner. But never forget, this is the draft where anything can happen and drafting a top-tier offensive playmaker isn’t out of the realm of possibility here. With that framing, here are six prospects who make the most sense and fit best if Dallas are trying to formulate a realistic rebuild. 

1. Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State

If Dallas wants a true tone-setter who changes the geometry of the defense on all three downs, Styles is the plug-and-play answer. PFF pegged him as a perfect antidote to what they describe as an eternal void at linebacker. His scouting report screams the exact profile teams pay for now. He’s got rangy second-level size, real coverage ability, plus blitz value. He’s a linebacker who lets this defense stay in nickel looks without getting gashed.  

2. David Bailey, EDGE, Texas Tech

If you’re trying to fix a defense quickly, you draft the guy who can affect the quarterback. Bailey is arguably the best pass rusher in the class after a 14.5 sack season and he fits anywhere. He plays with explosive get-off, has speed with elite bend, and already has a couple of go-to answers in his pass rush toolbox. At 12, he’s the type of premium-position swing that can turn rebuild the defense from a slogan into a plan.  

3. Mansoor Delane, CB, LSU 

If the Cowboys want to rebuild the defense the way most modern teams do by covering first and letting the rush arrive, Delane is a tidy primary cornerback in the first round to achieve that. He’s consistently at or near the top of the cornerback board, with most headline sites ranking him the first cornerback on the list. Corner is also one of the spots Dallas needs to address the most, and it’s notoriously hard to solve in free agency at the true difference-maker level. Delane can fill that void easily. 

4. Rueben Bain Jr., EDGE, Miami

If Bailey is gone, Bain is the clear alternative. He keeps you aligned with the offseason priority and helps the Cowboys defense acquire high-end pass rush help without pretending they can patch it with bargain free agents. ESPN’s consensus top-10 overall has Bain firmly in the top tier of this class, and he sits right in the range where pick 12 is a plausible landing spot, especially if Bailey is gone. Doubling down on edge isn’t luxury when your stated priority is rebuilding an entire defense and you’re trying to create an identity quickly.  

5. Brandon Cisse, CB, South Carolina 

This is the Cowboys-specific corner fit that keeps showing up in credible draft talk. He’s a Cowboys Round 1 option whose skill set matches previous Dallas defensive backs, and his draft ranking has him in the top-tier cluster at the position. If Christian Parker wants to model a defense from the back to the front, Cisse is also the type of player who can still be there at 12 and get the job done with good efficiency. Keep watch on the chatter on his name during the NFL scouting combine. 

6. Jordyn Tyson, WR, Arizona State

This is the if he falls, sprint the card in option. This may seem crazy to have a wide receiver among best fits at pick 12, but he’s the answer to the George Pickens debacle and saves the $35 million cap hit on retaining Pickens. He’s a top-10 pick, and analysts are already treating him as a top-of-the-class receiver. His breakdown is perfect with versatility, separation ability, and contested-catch strength. He has a receiver profile that can win in different alignments and against different coverages. If Dallas wants to help the passing game in a way that changes game plans, adding a true WR1-caliber talent to complement CeeDee Lamb, then Tyson is one of the few picks that can do it instantly again, if he’s there.

Who are your top three fits for the pick at number 12?