VJ'S MOCK DRAFT
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VJ'S MOCK DRAFT
RUN ON FEB 23, 2026

Cowboys Draft

  • VJ DRAFTING FOR THE
    Cowboys
Draft Selections
Arvell Reese Head Shot
PICK: 12 RND: 1 (DAL)
Arvell Reese
LB Ohio State
Makai Lemon Head Shot
PICK: 20 RND: 1 (DAL)
Makai Lemon
WR USC
Brandon Cisse Head Shot
PICK: 35 RND: 2 (DAL)
Brandon Cisse
CB South Carolina
Bishop Fitzgerald Head Shot
PICK: 112 RND: 4 (DAL)
Bishop Fitzgerald
S USC
Aamil Wagner Head Shot
PICK: 174 RND: 5 (DAL)
Aamil Wagner
OT Notre Dame
Xavier Nwankpa Head Shot
PICK: 177 RND: 5 (DAL)
Xavier Nwankpa
S Iowa
Josh Moten Head Shot
PICK: 215 RND: 6 (DAL)
Josh Moten
CB Southern Miss
Keyshaun Elliott Head Shot
PICK: 221 RND: 7 (DAL)
Keyshaun Elliott
LB Arizona State
Zavion Thomas Head Shot
PICK: 225 RND: 7 (DAL)
Zavion Thomas
WR LSU
Draft Picks Received
Brandon Cisse Head Shot
PICK: 35 RND: 2 (TEN)
Brandon Cisse
CB South Carolina
Aamil Wagner Head Shot
PICK: 174 RND: 5 (LV)
Aamil Wagner
OT Notre Dame
No Pick Head Shot
PICK: RND: 6 (LV)
NEXT YEAR (2027)
 
Draft Picks Traded
Eric Rivers Head Shot
PICK: 150 RND: 5 (LV)
Eric Rivers
WR Georgia Tech
Players traded away
Head Shot
George Pickens
WR
Draft Grade — Cowboys
Overall D
ValueB NeedA- TradesF FutureB-
The Cowboys bled value on every deal, hence the D.

The Cowboys lost the trade war and it was not close, handing partners the better end again and again. Too much went sideways, and the D is the honest tally.

They covered a lot of ground and still skipped quarterback, which is a strange place to end up. On the needs board they went 4 of 8, with wide receiver the one that mattered most.

The verdict is not kind, and fairly so; this class has a hill to climb.

Pick Analysis
Pick12 Rnd1 Arvell Reese
In the 12th overall pick they get a three-down second-level presence. The biggest hole, addressed.
Pick20 Rnd1 Makai Lemon
In the 20th pick they get a matchup problem out wide at fair value. It fills the loudest need on the roster.
Pick35 Rnd2 Brandon Cisse
Brandon Cisse in No. 35 is fair value, right on his grade. The biggest hole on the depth chart just got a whole lot smaller.
Pick112 Rnd4 Bishop Fitzgerald
Good price on Bishop Fitzgerald in pick No. 112, a hair ahead of his grade with no real quibbles. It thickens a room that could stand to be thicker.
Pick174 Rnd5 Aamil Wagner
A tidy little value on Aamil Wagner in pick 174, a step better than break-even. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.
Pick177 Rnd5 Xavier Nwankpa
No edge and no loss on Xavier Nwankpa in slot 177; it is a wash and a sensible one. A want dressed up as a pick, at a spot they had covered.
Pick215 Rnd6 Josh Moten
Josh Moten at the Round 6 slot is a sensible buy, a touch better than market for the cornerback. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
Pick221 Rnd7 Keyshaun Elliott
Keyshaun Elliott at Round 7, Pick 5 is a sound buy, the sort that quietly helps a class. It answers the question that was keeping the coaches up at night.
Pick225 Rnd7 Zavion Thomas
Zavion Thomas at the Round 7 slot is neither steal nor reach, just the going rate. The one spot they could not leave alone, and did not.