2026 Cowboys Draft Chatter Thread

Simpleton said:
He was supposedly nursing injuries and I think this was just a re-do.

Doesn't change my stance much, I'd be happy with him around 30-40 but a bit underwhelmed at 20, same as Rodriguez and Hill.
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Makes me feel better if we were to take him but it doesn't really move him much. Still have him where I had him before. Behind Hill and Rodriguez. But a solid second round pick.
 
I'm not in love with CJ Allen as a blitzer.

Hill seemed to be a bigger playmaker at UT, and the numbers show how effective a blitzer he was, almost like getting another pass rusher and consistently throughout his career.

J-Rod is the guy without great measurables who just made plays.

I like Hill, quite a lot
 

Simpleton said:
He was physically running through OL to meet the ball several times, it's hard to tell from that angle but if it was the end zone all-22 it'd be more obvious. I called out that performance at the time and now that the process is playing out that's the game most of these guys like Jeremiah and Brugler point to as where he really showed what he's capable of.

He's not fully baked yet but when you combine the elite size/athleticism with the ability to cover with the ability to take on OL and also read/scrape laterally while finding your way to the ball, that's why some have him top 3.
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Watched that vid you posted, you can kinda tell by just watching his body language, his steps and body lean, that he is advanced in reading play flow. One would think that eventually more big plays start happening in a pro defensive system.

I’ve kinda talked myself into wanting either Downs or Styles at this point, of all the players that we could realistically draft first.
 
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Stars said:
Watch that vid you posted, you can kinda tell by just watching his body language, his steps and body lean, that he is advanced in reading play flow. One would think that eventually more big plays start happening in a pro defensive system.

I’ve kinda talked myself into wanting either Downs or Styles at this point, of all the players that we could realistically draft first.
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I think that's where I'm at, after Reese and Bailey of course who aren't really realistic.

But despite them both playing positions that aren't "premium" I think they each bring unique value to our team because of the division we're in. They're both excellent at cleaning things up in the middle of the field within about 8-10 yards of the LOS due to their sideline to sideline speed and ability to read the game, and that's a very valuable thing in a division with 3 running QB's, all of whom are varying degrees of idiots as traditional passers.
 
Simpleton said:
I had him as a top 10 prospect before the Combine, I thought he'd fall to 12 due to his position but the Combine ruled that out. I don't buy the top 2-3 prospect talk you hear from some of the media draft types but I think he's very solidly around 6-8.

After Mendoza, since QB is kind of its own thing, I have Bailey/Reese above him, and then I could make an argument for guys like Love and Downs. That would put him around 4-6, maybe some could argue Delane as well.

At any rate, watch this, it's not a highlight reel, it's most or maybe even all of his snaps against Indiana. If you aren't sold after watching this on him as a clear top 10 guy then you'll never be:

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Styles is great, never misses tackles, runs fast, great in coverage etc

If you're looking for a thumper or enforcer in the middle that's probably the one thing he isn't. He isn't a punishing hitter. I wouldn't trade up to 6 for Styles. Might trade up to 9. But I get that he doesn't necessarily feel like a game wrecker at LBer. But I think that underrates his coverage ability a bit.
 
Cowboysrock55 said:
Styles is great, never misses tackles, runs fast, great in coverage etc

If you're looking for a thumper or enforcer in the middle that's probably the one thing he isn't. He isn't a punishing hitter. I wouldn't trade up to 6 for Styles. Might trade up to 9. But I get that he doesn't necessarily feel like a game wrecker at LBer. But I think that underrates his coverage ability a bit.
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How can you say you wouldn't trade up when you don't know the price?

You'd be fine giving up 92 to move up to 9 but not doing the 6/39 vs. 12/20 swap?
 
Simpleton said:
How can you say you wouldn't trade up when you don't know the price?

You'd be fine giving up 92 to move up to 9 but not doing the 6/39 vs. 12/20 swap?
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I think it's because I feel great about a LBer at 39. I also then lose the ability to trade down from 20 to get a second or extra third. That may be silly. But I'm still thrilled with Hill, Rodriguez, Allen or Trotter at 39. But I'm afraid the pass rushers or corners I love most might not make it to 39. And I've already taken a LBer at 6 so that's off the table.

I move from 12 to 9 and I still maintaining the ability to move 20 down for picks. Or its the KC swap of 9 for 12 and 20 for 29.

So I guess 6 just feels too rich for my blood. Even though I don't hate moving up for that pick. Just feels like it restricts what I'd like to do later in the draft and feels a little rich for an off the ball LBer. I really think I only am willing to go up to 6 with that pick swap if Bailey or Reese fall. In which case I'm dancing in the streets. I can go get my starting stud LBer at 39 and at pick 92 I think I'm still in a spot to get a good nickel corner. Someone like Stukes or Rivers I feel great about at pick 92 potentially (Depending who is still there).
 
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Simpleton said:
Every single one of the Brugler, Kiper and McShay mocks this morning has us trading up from 12 to 6 to take Styles.

I'm skeptical that he gets past 5 but if he (or Reese) drop to 6 it seems like a bit of a foregone conclusion that we're going to push hard to move up given how badly I'd imagine Cleveland would like to move down, it's just a matter of price.

McShay had us sending 12/92 and a 2027 2nd for 6, taking McCoy at 20.
Brugler had us sending 12/20 and a 2027 4th for 6/39, taking Stukes at 39.
Kiper had us sending 12/20 for 6/39, taking TJ Parker at 39.

I'd be comfortable with any of those trades as long as we're either getting back 39 or not giving up 20.

McShay also mentioned us being interested in Thieneman, so in the last 24-48 hours you're hearing the same thing from him, Jeremiah, Schrager and Brugler. The only thing left is for them to bring him on a 30 visit and I think you can pencil him in as the pick at 12 if the board gets wiped.

A few other random notes:

-There seems to be a decent amount of buzz around Tyson going to the Saints or Chiefs if they don't trade out/up, which would be great if we stick at 12.
-Brugler had Keldric Faulk at 11 and Malachi Lawrence at 26, thought those were interesting.
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I feel not certain but decent that either Styles or Bailey would be there at 6.

Of course you don't make the trade till 6 is on the clock.
 
Cowboysrock55 said:
I think it's because I feel great about a LBer at 39. I also then lose the ability to trade down from 20 to get a second or extra third. That may be silly. But I'm still thrilled with Hill, Rodriguez, Allen or Trotter at 39. But I'm afraid the pass rushers or corners I love most might not make it to 39. And I've already taken a LBer at 6 so that's off the table.

I move from 12 to 9 and I still maintaining the ability to move 20 down for picks. Or its the KC swap of 9 for 12 and 20 for 29.

So I guess 6 just feels too rich for my blood. Even though I don't hate moving up for that pick. Just feels like it restricts what I'd like to do later in the draft and feels a little rich for an off the ball LBer. I really think I only am willing to go up to 6 with that pick swap if Bailey or Reese fall. In which case I'm dancing in the streets. I can go get my starting stud LBer at 39 and at pick 92 I think I'm still in a spot to get a good nickel corner. Someone like Stukes or Rivers I feel great about at pick 92 potentially (Depending who is still there).
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But if we do 6/39 for 12/20 we still have our 3rd.

It would basically be like if we traded down from 20 to 39, added a 2nd and then sent 12 and that 2nd up for 6.
 
Simpleton said:
But if we do 6/39 for 12/20 we still have our 3rd.

It would basically be like if we traded down from 20 to 39, added a 2nd and then sent 12 and that 2nd up for 6.
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Again, I just don't know if the Cashius Howell, Lawrence types make it to 39. But maybe.
 
Simpleton said:
I don't think there's any chance on Bailey, Styles is 50/50.
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I think the QB, an OT, and the RB are gonna go early. That's three.

That leaves Styles, Bailey, and Reese. I'll take any of them.

And that's not even counting if there's an off-board selection like a CB going early, never discount that.
 
Chocolate Lab said:
It's early, so I'll stir some things up.

Are we sure -- really, really sure -- that Styles is going to be all that? I'll watch more, but I'm just not that impressed with his highlights. Lots of drag-down tackles, and I don't really see that heat-seeking missile to the football. If you took out the combine runs and jumps, would anyone have him #6 overall, or even #8 or 9? How many former safeties are great LBs?

Not saying he sucks, but at this point I'm a little skeptical on him. Fire away.
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I'll take

Reese
Bailey
Styles

in that order.

I don't think Styles has the edge rush ability that you saw with Parsons when you drafted him as a LB, and as edge rushing/pass rushing is the most valuable thing on defense, I think he loses half a point for that.

But I think you get an athletic speed freak who makes plays all over the field, sideline to sideline, otherwise.

Maybe I'm letting need leak in a little, but I think he would have a huge impact on our D given that ILB is a black hole for us right now.

He's not delivering "ROOOOOOOY!!!!!!!!111!! STAY DOWN BIZNATCH" hits, but, you don't want someone who is two biscuits short of a down lineman either. It's a passing league and you have to be able to move in space.
 
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