Cowboys Draft 2 EDGE Stars in New Kiper, ESPN NFL Mock Draft Months After Micah Parsons Trade

Just over seven months after trading Micah Parsons, the Dallas Cowboys are going to keep adding to their defensive line based on the results from ESPN's latest mock for the 2026 NFL draft.

In a three-round projection with alternating picks from analysts Mel Kiper Jr., Field Yates, Jordan Reid and Matt Miller, the Cowboys came away with two EDGE players in Rueben Bain Jr. and Zion Young with their two Day 1 picks.

Bain at No. 12 would feel like a dream scenario for the Cowboys. He is projected as the eighth pick to the New Orleans Saints by B/R's NFL scouting department.

The consensus big board has Bain ranked as the seventh-best player in the 2026 class.

Even with the questions about Bain's arm length coming out of the combine, there aren't many people concerned about his ability to succeed in the NFL because of what he showed on tape at Miami.

The selection of Young at No. 20, with one of the picks Dallas acquired from the Green Bay Packers in the Parsons' trade, would be a bit of a reach. He's ranked 36th by B/R and on the consensus big board.

One point in Young's favor is that he had the best season of his career in 2025 at Missouri playing primarily against SEC opponents. He racked up 16.5 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks in 13 games last season.

If the Cowboys do go with two EDGE players in the first round, they will have added four defensive linemen since trading Parsons last August. They traded for Quinnen Williams during the 2025 season, then made another deal with the Packers in the offseason to acquire Rashan Gary.

That doesn't even include getting Kenny Clark back from Green Bay as part of the return for Parsons.

It would be a lot of resources to invest in one area of the roster, but the Cowboys defense allowed the most points in the NFL and tied for 22nd in sacks last season.

Their offense doesn't need a lot of help with Dak Prescott, George Pickens and CeeDee Lamb leading a group that ranked seventh in points scored during the 2025 campaign.

If the Cowboys can build a defense that gets closer to being league average, they are more than capable of being a strong playoff contender in the NFC in 2026.