Jerry Jones, Dallas Cowboys
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Dallas Cowboys team owner Jerry Jones
After missing the playoffs last season, the Dallas Cowboys entered the 2026 NFL offseason with quite a few needs to address. Jerry Jones hinted before free agency that he planned to spend big money, but that hasn’t happened yet.
No blockbuster move has been made by the Cowboys. Their biggest offseason move thus far has been to acquire pass rusher Rashan Gary from the Green Bay Packers in exchange for a 2027 fourth-round pick.
Outside of the Gary move, Dallas has also added pieces like safety Jalen Thompson and cornerback Cobie Durant. At the end of the day, the moves have left fans wanting more.
Looking ahead to the 2026 NFL Draft, the Cowboys will have a chance to add two impact players in the first round. They hold the No. 12 and No. 20 overall picks.
Most mock drafts have had Dallas doubling down on the defensive side of the football with those two selections. However, a new mock draft from NFL.com has suggested a big offensive splash could be in play.
Dallas Cowboys Predicted to Land Explosive Wide Receiver
Chad Reuter of NFL.com has projected the Cowboys to use the No. 12 overall pick on Ohio State standout wide receiver Carnell Tate.
“It’s unclear whether George Pickens will be traded or play in Dallas on the franchise tag,” Reuter wrote. “If Pickens stays, adding Tate on the outside and moving CeeDee Lamb into the slot would be a beautiful setup for quarterback Dak Prescott.”
Tate has been widely expected to be a top-10 pick. Seeing him slide down to Dallas at No. 12 would be a shock in and of itself. However, the Cowboys adding another wide receiver would also be surprising.
George Pickens had the non-exclusive franchise tag placed on him to begin the offseason. No long-term deal has been worked out. Adding Tate would give Dallas a potential replacement for Pickens rather than paying him a big long-term deal.
For the 2026 season, the Cowboys would have the best wide receiver trio in the NFL, unless they chose to aggressively look to move off of Pickens before the year begins.
What Would Carnell Tate Bring to the Cowboys’ Offense?
During the 2025 college football season with Ohio State, Tate caught 51 passes for 875 yards and nine touchdowns. He finished his three-year career with the Buckeyes totaling 121 catches for 1,872 yards and 14 scores.
NFL.com believes that a good comparison for Tate would be New Orleans Saints wideout Chris Olave. He has the potential to be a No. 1 option at the professional level, but would be an incredibly elite No. 2 option if he reaches his ceiling.
Of course, this is just a prediction. There is still a very good chance that Tate will be gone long before Dallas is on the clock at No. 12 overall.
That being said, if he does slide down to the Cowboys, Jerry Jones would have a tough decision to make. However, passing on a talent like Tate would be very difficult to do.