It’s no secret that the linebacker spot was one of many Dallas Cowboys’ weakest place teams final season. Within the offseason, Dallas introduced in a pair of veterans, Kenneth Murray and Jack Sanborn, hoping a change of surroundings may deliver out the most effective within the two veterans.
Sadly for the Cowboys, each acquisitions ended up not serving to the staff in any respect. Murray was undoubtedly one of many worst-performing linebackers in all of soccer, whereas Sanborn performed in simply six video games earlier than his season was ended because of a groin damage.
Exterior of Murray and Sanborn, Dallas’s trio of younger linebackers, Marist Liufau, Shemar James, and DeMarvion Overshown, all struggled with consistency. Overshown’s struggles have been nearly definitely straight associated to him coming off a severe damage, however each Liufau and James simply might not be the form of gamers Dallas can depend on to make a major influence.
It’s clear the Cowboys must improve the place this offseason, and with Murray and Sanborn each out the door, it’s nearly a given they may add no less than two linebackers earlier than the beginning of the 2026 marketing campaign. Fortunately for the Cowboys, the 2026 draft class options loads of linebackers who may make an instantaneous constructive influence in Dallas’ protection.
With how dangerous the place group as an entire was in 2025, may there be a practical situation the place the Cowboys double-dip and use each of their first-round picks on linebackers? Whereas it might appear pretty unlikely, Professional Soccer Community explored this situation of their most up-to-date three-round mock draft.
With their first choice at quantity 12 total, Alec Elijah of PFN had Dallas deciding on Sonny Types out of Ohio State. Right here’s what Elijah needed to say in regards to the OSU product.
Sonny Types’ soccer intelligence is simply as spectacular as his bodily traits. At over 6-foot-4, he combines elite explosiveness with distinctive energy, inserting him among the many most bodily gifted defenders in school soccer. He can operate as a linebacker within the field, drop again as a security, or deal with obligations within the slot.
He additionally brings actual pass-rush worth. Types reveals pure hand utilization and the flexibility to bend across the edge, making him efficient when deployed on blitzes or as a stand-up rusher. Types would give the Cowboys a uncommon defensive weapon who combines freak-level athleticism and true versatility to raise the complete unit.
With their second choice, at choose quantity 19 (it’s going to really be #20), Elijah had Dallas deciding on one other linebacker, this time selecting Anthony Hill Jr. out of Texas. Right here’s what he needed to say in regards to the athletic Texas defender.
Anthony Hill Jr. would give Dallas an instinctive and high-impact defender who suits the trendy NFL, due to the Micah Parsons commerce with Inexperienced Bay. Hill suits completely with the Cowboys’ pressure-heavy philosophy, capturing gaps with explosive energy and creating chaos up the center.
His fluidity and burst allow him to match up with tight ends and operating backs, offering the Cowboys with flexibility in sub-packages with out tipping their hand. He can align as an off-ball linebacker, stroll up as a strain risk, or be used as a spy relying on the matchup.
Whereas including each Types and Hill to the protection would definitely take Dallas’s linebacker group from the underside of the league nearer to the highest, with all their holes elsewhere on that aspect of the ball, it’s onerous to see them taking two gamers who play the identical place within the first spherical. If the Cowboys deliberate to make use of Types as extra of a pass-rusher and Hill as a real linebacker, deciding on each may make extra sense, however nonetheless would appear extremely unlikely.
There isn’t any denying the Cowboys must improve at linebacker this offseason. Whereas utilizing each their first-round choice on the place appears unlikely, there’s a excellent likelihood Dallas will choose a linebacker with certainly one of their first two picks and pair the rookie with a veteran signing in free company.
