After a season that saw the Dallas Cowboys finish 7-9-1 and miss the NFL playoffs for the second year in a row, many thought they would finally bust the budget in free agency. Alas, it was not to be.
Now that the NFL Draft is here, a pass rusher should be at the top of their shopping list, a position they have lacked in since dealing Micah Parsons last August. And they felt it - going from 50 sacks in 2024 to 34 in 2025.
While Dallas does have the #12 and #20 picks in the first round, the lack of star players in the middle of the first round may push them to move up and get one of the headliners in this draft.
Arvell Reese, Rueben Bain Jr., and David Bailey are the best edge rushers in this class, and all project to go well before Dallas' first pick on the board. Even Sonny Styles, a top prospect at linebacker, will be long gone by the time Dallas' first pick comes up.
The Mock Trade that Dallas needs to make would look like this:
And with that pick, Dallas should prioritize the following edge rushers:
The 3 edge rushers who could save Dallas' miserable defense
Arvell Reese, Ohio State
Arvell Reese is billed as a disruptive edge rusher who can cause all sorts of havoc, the kind of player that makes his teammates better. Sound familiar?
He's a 6'4" 241-pound monster that can draw double teams, something no other Dallas player could claim a year ago. Ohio State had a plethora of defenders, and so Reese didn't need to get double-digit sacks (6.5 in 2025). He's projected as an immediate starter and impact defender.
Getting Reese at third might require some luck, as the New York Jets should take him at that spot. But they are rumored to be looking at Sonny Styles or even Caleb Downs, who should be solid NFL players but aren't worth drafting that high.
David Bailey, Texas Tech
At third overall, Bailey would be worth the cost for Dallas, as a 6'4", 251-pound edge who has multiple pass rush moves and has shown great acceleration in college and the ability to destroy offensive linemen at the point of attack.
At Texas Tech in 2025, he had 14.5 sacks, 3 forced fumbles, 52 tackles (32 solo), and boosted Tech to the College Football Playoff. He would definitely fill the need Dallas has at edge rusher as a Day One starter.
Rueben Bain Jr., Miami
Bain was a top-three projected pick before the NFL Combine, where his measurements (6'2", 263 pounds, with 9 1/8" hands) put a few teams off on taking him that high. However, he's still a projected starter right out of the gate, wherever he lands.
Bain Jr. had 54 tackles (30 solo), 9.5 sacks, an interception, and a forced fumble in 2025 for the Hurricanes. In the NFL, he could reach similar heights with a Dallas defense that is desperate for an edge rusher.
Putting Bain next to Quinnen Williams would really bring out his best, and teams would have to choose which one to bring help against, as Williams typically gets 5-6 sacks a year.
Will Jerry Jones put his money where his mouth is?
He said the Cowboys were going to 'bust the budget' this offseason, and they didn't do so in free agency, so it must be the draft he was talking about.
For their long-suffering fans, let's hope Jones gets it together and gets the Cowboys back on track for 2026.
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