Dallas Cowboys Mock Draft: 5 first round possibilities at 26

The Dallas Cowboys are less than one month away from the 2023 NFL Draft and as such, are honing in on a few targets in anticipation. Anything can happen before they select a player at pick 26 so they must be prepared for any and all possibilities.

Today we look at five players the Dallas Cowboys will consider in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft

Assessing the Cowboys roster it seems that at the moment, immediate needs are not glaringly apparent. The Cowboys could use help in the middle of their offensive and defensive line. They could use another linebacker or cornerback. They could use a running back or tight end.

They have needs, they just have wiggle room in the way they go about filling these needs.  This could lead them down a number of paths in the first round and should make for a pretty exciting exercise today.

Helping us in this mock draft simulation will be the simulator at FanSpeak. We will also be consulting scouting reports from TDN, PFF, and Dane Brugler, in addition to using consensus draft boards to best gauge stock and avoid farfetched scenarios of massive overreach.

Rd1:26 the Dallas Cowboys select…

Kelee Ringo, CB

Kelee Ringo meets two important criteria to be headlining this mock draft list: 1) He fits the Cowboys prototype at CB 2) He’s likely to be available when the Dallas Cowboys go on the clock.

Ringo is a somewhat polarizing figure to many in the 2023 NFL Draft. On one hand, he’s a highly talented athlete who has the ability to be great. On the other hand, he hasn’t progressed like many hoped causing some to think he may never take that next step in his development.

Will McClay and the Dallas Cowboys scouting department love players like Ringo. They love to find players with all the tangible measurements because they transition more naturally to the pro game. We’ve seen to target potential time and time again. Experience and polish are nice but not the priority.

Ringo, someone Pro Football Focus said was “arguably the freakiest athlete in the draft” has elite experience, skill and confidence. He plateaued in 2022 causing him to slip in value this draft and some are concerned for his natural feel for the game. He can play both man and zone and should fit in at outside cornerback for the foreseeable future.

As the Cowboys learned last season, you can never have enough cornerbacks and Ringo would be used regularly as a rookie, ideally taking over for Stephon Gilmore as a starter in 2024