Cowboys eye top‑10 move
Sources say the Dallas Cowboys are exploring trading into the top 10 of the draft and would prioritize defense if they do move up. (cbssports.com) One persistent rumor even links Dallas to a potential trade with Cleveland for safety Sonny Styles, highlighting aggressive trade chatter around the club. (bloggingtheboys.com)
Dallas is making calls about a move into the top 10 of the 2026 National Football League draft, with defense the focus if owner Jerry Jones pulls the trigger. (cbssports.com) The Cowboys hold two first-round picks, No. 12 and No. 20, and the draft opens April 23 in Pittsburgh. ESPN lists Dallas with eight total picks, starting at No. 12, with top needs at linebacker, edge rusher and cornerback. (espn.com) CBS Sports reported Dallas has been “kicking the tires” on teams inside the top 10, and National Football League Network’s Ian Rapoport said the Cowboys are the “most likely team” to move up. CBS said Rueben Bain Jr., Akeem Mesidor and Sonny Styles are among the names tied to that chatter. (cbssports.com) A trade up would fit the way Dallas is built for this draft: two first-round picks give the club more ammunition than most teams picking in the teens. The current order has Cleveland at No. 6, Washington at No. 7, New Orleans at No. 8, Kansas City at No. 9 and Cincinnati at No. 10. (nfl.com) The urgency is tied to what happened last season and this offseason. Dallas traded Micah Parsons to Green Bay on August 28, 2025 for a package headlined by 2026 and 2027 first-round picks and defensive tackle Kenny Clark, then traded a 2027 fourth-rounder back to Green Bay for Rashan Gary on March 11, 2026. (nfl.com) (packers.com) The Cowboys also enter the draft with fresh questions on defense. Dallas agreed to a one-year deal with cornerback Cobie Durant in March, and outside linebacker Donovan Ezeiruaku underwent hip labrum surgery that is expected to sideline him for most of the spring program. (dallascowboys.com 1) (dallascowboys.com 2) The Sonny Styles rumor has lasted because several draft analysts landed on the same idea. Blogging The Boys noted that Mel Kiper Jr., Todd McShay and Dane Brugler all mocked Dallas trading with Cleveland for No. 6 and selecting the Ohio State defender. (bloggingtheboys.com) That does not mean a deal is done, or even close. Giants general manager Joe Schoen said April 14 that his team had received “a couple calls” from clubs interested in moving up to No. 5, but he said he did not expect a trade before the first round and did not identify Dallas as one of those teams. (cbssports.com) For now, the clearest fact is that Dallas has the picks to climb and a defense that still needs help. If the Cowboys do move into the top 10 next week, the league chatter points to a defender, not a skill-position swing. (espn.com) (cbssports.com)
