TexGator'S MOCK DRAFT

TexGator'S MOCK DRAFT
RUN ON APR 17, 2026

Really... Really

  • TexGator DRAFTING FOR THE
    Cowboys
Draft Selections
Arvell Reese Head Shot
PICK: 18 RND: 1 (DAL)
Arvell Reese
LB Ohio State
Max Iheanachor Head Shot
PICK: 28 RND: 1 (DAL)
Max Iheanachor
OT Arizona State
Malachi Lawrence Head Shot
PICK: 49 RND: 2 (DAL)
Malachi Lawrence
DE-EDGE UCF
Treydan Stukes Head Shot
PICK: 92 RND: 3 (DAL)
Treydan Stukes
CB Arizona
Zakee Wheatley Head Shot
PICK: 112 RND: 4 (DAL)
Zakee Wheatley
S Penn State
Amare Thomas Head Shot
PICK: 152 RND: 5 (DAL)
Amare Thomas
WR Houston
Marlin Klein Head Shot
PICK: 177 RND: 5 (DAL)
Marlin Klein
TE Michigan
Bryce Boettcher Head Shot
PICK: 180 RND: 5 (DAL)
Bryce Boettcher
LB Oregon
Draft Picks Received
Arvell Reese Head Shot
PICK: 18 RND: 1 (MIN)
Arvell Reese
LB Ohio State
Max Iheanachor Head Shot
PICK: 28 RND: 1 (HOU)
Max Iheanachor
OT Arizona State
Malachi Lawrence Head Shot
PICK: 49 RND: 2 (MIN)
Malachi Lawrence
DE-EDGE UCF
No Pick Head Shot
PICK: RND: 3 (MIN)
NEXT YEAR (2027)
 
Draft Picks Traded
Mansoor Delane Head Shot
PICK: 12 RND: 1 (MIN)
Mansoor Delane
CB LSU
Jeremiyah Love Head Shot
PICK: 20 RND: 1 (HOU)
Jeremiyah Love
RB Notre Dame
Players Gained
Head Shot
Blake Brandel
OG
Head Shot
Nico Collins
WR
Draft Grade — Cowboys
Overall B+
ValueB NeedB+ TradesA+ FutureB
The Cowboys cashed the board's mistake on Wheatley: B+.

If you want a masterclass in dealing, watch the Cowboys, who turned every swap into a profit this weekend. Good, not great, and the B+ says as much.

The Wheatley steal is the beam this whole class leans on. They are betting Iheanachor proves the room right and everyone else wrong.

Leaving quarterback unaddressed is the roster risk they will have to answer for in the fall.

In sum, a sturdy weekend with one asterisk, the quarterback spot they never got to.

Pick Analysis
Pick18 Rnd1 Arvell Reese
In pick No. 18 they get a coverage-and-run second-level piece, and a steal at that. The biggest hole, addressed.
Pick28 Rnd1 Max Iheanachor
In the 28th pick they get a blindside protector, though the board says they badly overpaid. It fills the loudest need on the roster.
Pick49 Rnd2 Malachi Lawrence
No edge and no loss on Malachi Lawrence in pick 49; it is a wash and a sensible one. It adds depth where they could use a little.
Pick92 Rnd3 Treydan Stukes
A cornerback of that caliber at the 92nd overall pick is the definition of value, full stop. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.
Pick112 Rnd4 Zakee Wheatley
They barely believed it either: Zakee Wheatley still on the board at the Round 4 slot. Depth more than a fix, but depth they can use.
Pick152 Rnd5 Amare Thomas
A tidy bit of business in slot 152, where Amare Thomas graded well above the range. The biggest hole on the depth chart just got a whole lot smaller.
Pick177 Rnd5 Marlin Klein
Marlin Klein at Round 5, Pick 37 is money in the bank, a tight end taken below his worth. It plugs a real leak on the depth chart.
Pick180 Rnd5 Bryce Boettcher
Fair-plus on Bryce Boettcher, a quiet win that adds up over a draft. It also answers one of the loudest questions on the roster.