Daniel Jeremiah Drops 2026 NFL Mock Draft 2.0, Cowboys Land CB, Edge as Chiefs Take RB

The Dallas Cowboys have two picks in the first round of the 2026 NFL draft, but they still appear unlikely to land the running back of their dreams.

NFL.com draft expert Daniel Jeremiah unveiled his second mock draft on Tuesday, predicting that the Kansas City Chiefs land the top running back in this year's class by selecting Notre Dame's Jeremiyah Love with the No. 9 pick. Missing out on Love left the Cowboys to focus on defense, adding Tennessee cornerback Jermod McCoy with the No. 12 pick and Miami edge rusher Akheem Mesidor with the No. 20 pick.

The full top 10 in Jeremiah's second mock draft is as follows:

1. Las Vegas Raiders- Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana
2. New York Jets- David Bailey, Edge, Texas Tech
3. Arizona Cardinals- Francis Mauigoa, OT, Miami
4. Tennessee Titans- Rueben Bain Jr., Edge, Miami
5. New York Giants- Carnell Tate, WR, Ohio State
6. Cleveland Browns- Spencer Fano, OT, Utah
7. Washington Commanders- Arvell Reese, LB/Edge, Ohio State
8. New Orleans Saints- Makai Lemon, WR, USC
9. Kansas City Chiefs- Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame
10. Cincinnati Bengals- Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State

The Cowboys acquired the 20th pick as part of last offseason's trade with the Green Bay Packers for star edge rusher Micah Parsons. Mesidor could fill the hole left by Parsons, as he was impressive as a sixth-year senior for Miami, finishing the 2025 season with 63 total tackles, 12.5 sacks and four forced fumbles.

Releasing cornerback Trevon Diggs in December also left a void in the Cowboys' secondary, so adding McCoy would give them a promising young prospect to build around going forward.

Ahead of next month's draft, here's a look at what experts are projecting the

Of course, fans in Dallas likely would prefer to add Love, who was a finalist for the Heisman Trophy and the 2025 Doak Walker Award winner as the best running back in the nation. If Love lands in Kansas City, he's the type of difference-maker who would certainly boost the team's chances of returning to Super Bowl contention in 2026.