The Dallas Cowboys are heading into a pivotal offseason, and while there are certainly areas of need on offense and special teams, there’s no question where the spotlight is shining brightest: the defense. After a season that saw the unit finish 30th in total yards allowed and dead last in points surrendered per game, changes were inevitable - and they’ve already begun.
Coaching Carousel: Out with Eberflus, In with Parker
The Cowboys parted ways with defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus after just one season - a year that simply didn’t deliver. Despite Eberflus’ previous ties to the organization and a solid track record with linebackers, the defense never found its footing.
The numbers speak for themselves: 377.0 yards allowed per game and a brutal 30.1 points given up each week. That’s not just underperforming - that’s a collapse.
So, Dallas turned the page quickly. After a deliberate search, they landed on Christian Parker, who had been serving as the Philadelphia Eagles’ passing game coordinator and defensive backs coach. He’s young, sharp, and has built a reputation for developing talent in the secondary - something Dallas could certainly use after a rocky 2025.
The Draft: Defensive Reload in Round One
While free agency will shape some of the roster pieces Parker inherits, the Cowboys are also armed with two first-round picks in the 2026 NFL Draft - and if the latest mock from The Athletic is any indication, they’re using both to reload the defense.
Here’s what that could look like:
Pick No. 12: Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State
This one just makes sense. Sonny Styles is the kind of modern linebacker that today’s NFL demands.
At 6-4, 243 pounds, he has the frame to bang in the box, but his background as a safety gives him rare fluidity in coverage. He’s not just athletic - he’s instinctive.
And that’s a combination Dallas desperately needs at the second level.
With Kenneth Murray and Jack Sanborn both headed for free agency and Logan Wilson looking like a likely cap casualty, the Cowboys’ linebacker room is in flux. Styles would immediately inject speed, versatility, and a fearlessness that this defense sorely lacked in 2025.
His tape from last season shows a player who’s not only grown as a run defender - earning an 87.8 PFF grade in that department - but one who can still hold up in coverage (87.4). Only two missed tackles all year? That’s the kind of reliability coaches dream about.
What makes Styles so valuable is his ability to disguise intentions pre-snap. He can line up like he’s dropping into coverage and then crash the line, or vice versa. That kind of unpredictability is gold in today’s NFL, especially against the kind of high-octane offenses the Cowboys will face in the NFC.
If he’s still on the board at No. 12, this could be a cornerstone pick.
Pick No. 20: Brandon Cisse, CB, South Carolina
This pick - acquired from Green Bay in the Micah Parsons trade - gives Dallas another shot at bolstering its defense, and The Athletic has them taking South Carolina cornerback Brandon Cisse.
Cisse brings one thing you can’t teach: speed. After transferring from NC State, he quickly earned a reputation as one of the fastest players in South Carolina’s program - on a team that includes track phenom Nyck Harbor, no less. That kind of burst is exactly what you want in today’s NFL, where vertical threats are everywhere.
With Trevon Diggs no longer in the picture, the Cowboys need someone to step in opposite DaRon Bland. Shavon Revel Jr. showed flashes, but adding Cisse gives Dallas another long, athletic corner who can press at the line and recover quickly if beaten early in the route.
He’s not quite as polished as Styles - particularly when it comes to reading quarterbacks and recognizing route combinations - but the raw tools are there. His 89.2 PFF run defense grade shows he’s not afraid to get physical, and that kind of toughness will go a long way in Dallas’ scheme.
At 20 years old, he’s still developing, but the upside is real. If Parker can help refine his instincts and technique, Cisse could grow into a high-level starter.
Big Picture: A Defensive Identity in the Making
After a season where the defense couldn’t get off the field and struggled to stop the bleeding, this mock draft scenario is exactly the kind of reset Dallas needs. With two first-round picks, both on the defensive side of the ball, the Cowboys have a chance to rebuild their identity - fast, physical, and versatile.
Styles gives them a tone-setter in the middle. Cisse adds speed and length on the perimeter. And with Christian Parker now steering the ship, there’s a clear path toward a younger, more dynamic unit in 2026.
There’s still a lot of offseason left - free agency, trades, and of course, the actual draft - but if this is the direction Dallas is heading, fans should feel encouraged. After all, defense wins championships - and the Cowboys are finally acting like they believe it.