The Dallas Cowboys have had another quiet free agency period, but it’s clear there’s a new era. Matt Eberflus was fired as defensive coordinator after producing one of the NFL’s worst defenses a year ago, and new DC Christian Parker has arrived to try to get Dallas’s defense to a level that can be in line with one of the league’s best offenses.
Of course, that usually doesn’t happen without some change. The Cowboys will likely bring in some new blood with eight picks in next month’s draft, including the No. 12 and No. 20 overall picks in the first round, and the new players will likely bring some competition to some of the veterans who struggled a year ago.
While there are several candidates to keep their heads on a swivel, inside linebacker DeMarvion Overshown will likely be keeping a close eye on the draft, and could find the Cowboys selecting his competition when the league gathers in Pittsburgh next month.
DeMarvion Overshown’s Health Is Critical with Cowboys Targeting Linebacker in NFL Draft
Overshown has had flashes of talent since being selected in the third round of the 2023 draft, but he hasn’t stayed on the field long enough to fully reach his potential. After tearing his left ACL during the 2023 preseason, Overshown posted a 61.1 overall grade on 708 snaps and collected 20 total pressures and five sacks on 74 pass-rushing snaps according to Pro Football Focus before suffering ACL, MCL, and PCL tears in his right knee in December 2024.
The Texas product didn’t make his season debut until a Week 11 win over the Las Vegas Raiders and played well with 28 total tackles and a tackle for loss on limited snaps. Unfortunately, his season once again ended early prematurely when he suffered a concussion during a Week 16 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers.
Parker sees the talent in Overshown, pledging to build his scheme around that talent with the rest of the Cowboys’ top playmakers. But given Overshown’s injury history, it would benefit them to look for some talent to provide some insurance.
That’s where this year’s draft comes into play. NFL Mock Draft Database’s consensus mock draft has Georgia’s C.J. Allen landing with Dallas with a 22 percent projection rate. Ohio State’s Sonny Styles could also be a candidate for the Cowboys as the No. 2-ranked linebacker behind Arvell Reese. However, an insane combine performance likely means he won’t get anywhere near the No. 12 overall pick.
Texas Tech’s Jacob Rodriguez (No. 43), Texas’s Anthony Hill Jr. (No. 47), Cincinnati’s Jake Folday (No. 52) and Missouri’s Josiah Trotter (No. 60) are also potential targets, per NFL Mock Draft Database’s consensus big board, if Dallas decides to trade down for a second-round pick they currently do not have by virtue of the Quinnen Williams trade last November. Any of those players could also threaten Shemar James for his job, as he and Justin Barron are the only true linebackers on the roster.
If Overshown stays healthy, he should be able to thrive with Parker behind him. But if he suffers another injury, it could open the door for his competition to take his job and leave the Cowboys with a promising player who can’t live up to the hype.