> **12) Dallas Cowboys**
>
> **Caleb Downs, Ohio State | DB**
>
> With a second first-round pick waiting in the wings, the Cowboys opt to take the best player available in this 2026 NFL Mock Draft. In defensive coordinator Christian Parker’s scheme, Caleb Downs can be a do-it-all player, with the versatility to play split-field or roam as a nickel in zone.
>
> While Downs never did testing this cycle, it doesn’t take much exposure to the tape to know he’s the real deal. Downs’ coverage, mobility, and elite football IQ are the glues that fuse his game together. He dissuades targets in coverage and is rock-solid in support.
>
> **20) Dallas Cowboys**
>
> **Jacob Rodriguez, Texas Tech | LB**
>
> This may come as a surprise, but perhaps it shouldn’t. Yes, Jacob Rodriguez is undersized at 6-foot-1, 230 pounds, with sub-31-inch arms. But he won four defensive awards with elite production in 2025. He tested as one of the best athletes in the class, and he was one of the defensive stars of the Senior Bowl.
>
> Aside from size and play strength, there aren’t too many holes to poke in Rodriguez’s game, and the Cowboys desperately need competent LB play. Rodriguez has the acumen to man the “green dot” role, but also has the range and fluidity to make plays in all phases.