Most pundits have treated it as a foregone conclusion this spring that the Dallas Cowboys will select two defensive players in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft. Based on how the team played defense last season, it makes a lot of sense.
But in a new Pro Football Focus mock draft released Monday, that’s not how PFF’s Jordan Plocher saw things unfolding.
Plocher projected the Cowboys to give up both of their first-rounder choices (No. 12 and 20) to move up to No. 3. Then at No. 3, Plocher predicted Dallas to select Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love.
“Jerry Jones cares a lot about branding and putting on a show, and in this mock draft, the Cowboys owner/general manager sends both of the team’s first-round picks, Nos. 12 and 20, to the Arizona Cardinals for the No. 3 overall selection and then selects the best player in the draft class in Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love,” wrote Plocher.
“Cowboys fans who know the roster have already grabbed torches and pitchforks to revolt at the idea of this, but it isn’t out of the realm of possibilities. Love is a home-run threat out of the backfield, and his 726 breakaway rushing yards, 18 rushing touchdowns and 93.7 PFF rushing grade in 2025 all led the draft class.”
At Notre Dame last season, Love rushed for 1,372 yards with 18 touchdowns. He finished third in the Heisman Trophy voting.
The Cowboys could use additional running back depth. But the team’s 2025 leader rusher, Javonte Williams, is returning next season.
Williams ran for 1,201 yards and 11 scores for Dallas during 2025.
Cowboys Projected to Trade Up for RB Jeremiyah Love
It probably goes without saying. But the Cowboys making a move into the top 5 would greatly change the first-round complexion of the 2026 NFL Draft.
The Notre Dame running back is not only the top running back in the 2026 draft but one of the best prospects in the entire class.
Both ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. and NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah have Love rated as the No. 2 prospect behind quarterback Fernando Mendoza. PFF’s big board has Love ranked No. 3 among all prospects.
“Love is a dynamic weapon as a runner and receiver,” Jeremiah wrote. “Overall, Love is a home run hitter and will immediately expand the playbook for his drafting team.”
Fittingly, any team who wants Love will have to hit a home run via a blockbuster trade. It’s not likely the Notre Dame running back slips out of the top 5.
“Love reminds me a lot of Reggie Bush. The 20-year-old has vision and burst between the tackles and to the outside, and he can break tackles with ease (60 forced missed tackles on the 2025 season),” Kiper wrote. “Once he gets into space, he can take it to the house with his 4.36 breakaway speed too. But Love isn’t only an outstanding runner. He also is a high-impact pass catcher.
“An NFL team will be able to flank him out wide and create a whole other dimension of the offense.”
Will the Cowboys Consider Passing on Defense in 2026 NFL Draft?
Plocher projecting the Cowboys to trade up for Love appears to be coming from the basis that Jerry Jones loves to make headlines.
It’s hard to fault Plocher for that argument. Jones has suggested in the past that if the Cowboys aren’t the center of attention, he will make a move to put them there.
Trading up for Love would certainly qualify as that.
But Jones has also emphasized this offseason how much the Cowboys need to get better on defense before 2026.
“I’ll tell you, when you have the challenges we had last year, there’s no place to go but up on the defensive side of the ball,” Jones told reporters on March 16. “Had we played a lick of defense last year, we would’ve had ourselves, I think, a real playoff run.”
The Cowboys addressed their defense in free agency. But they could still use significant upgrades at edge rusher and inside linebacker.
Jones implied during the second week of free agency the team could use the draft to fill those needs.
“That plus what we have set up for the draft, plus what we really have coming back from our veteran defensive players that really didn’t play that much last year, injury issues, things like that, gives us a lot of promise,” said Jones.
Regardless of how good of a prospect Love is, with those comments in mind, it would be rather surprising to see the Cowboys trade up for a running back.
Cowboys Projected to Shake Up 2026 NFL Draft With Blockbuster Trade