The Dallas Cowboys and team owner Jerry Jones have had a quality NFL offseason so far. While they haven’t made any huge splash moves, they have improved the roster, especially on the defensive side of the ball.
Entering the offense, the defense was the clear main issue for the Cowboys. They have addressed quite a few of those issues.
Among the headline moves so far this offseason for Dallas are the trade to acquire pass rusher Rashan Gary from the Green Bay Packers and signings of safety Jalen Thompson and cornerback Cobie Durant. All three of those moves will offer improvements for the Cowboys.
That being said, there are still some glaring holes on defense. Dallas needs to add an inside linebacker, whether that come in free agency or the 2026 NFL Draft.
Keeping that in mind, the Cowboys have received a new prediction to land a tackling machine to lead the middle of their defense.
Dallas Cowboys Land Prediction to Add High-Impact Linebacker
Pete Prisco of CBS Sports has released a new mock draft and he has Texas Tech linebacker Jacob Rodriguez being selected by Dallas with the No. 20 overall pick. Of course, that is the Cowboys’ second first-round pick that was acquired from the Green Bay Packers in the Micah Parsons trade.
“They can use some linebacker help, and this kid can do it all,” Prisco wrote. “He is good against the run and the pass.”
During the 2025 college football season with the Red Raiders, Rodriguez put up big numbers. He recorded 128 total tackles to go along with a sack, seven forced fumbles, four interceptions, and six defended passes.
Back in 2024, he totaled 127 tackles, five sacks, three forced fumbles, an interception, and four defended passes.
That kind of production would be a big-time upgrade at linebacker for Dallas. As mentioned by Prisco, he would be able to help against the run and the pass, which would be a valuable addition for new defensive coordinator Christian Parker.
Jacob Rodriguez Has Been Compared to Intriguing NFL LB
Lance Zierlein of NFL.com has dropped his player comparison for Rodriguez. He suggested Cleveland Browns rookie Carson Schwesinger.
Schwesinger had a great rookie season with the Browns and has a chance to become a star in Cleveland. That comparison bodes well for Rodriguez, at least from the early returns of Schwesinger.
Jones and the Cowboys are hoping to make a push back to being a contender in 2026. In order to reach that goal, there is more work to be done.
Adding a player like Rodriguez to revitalize the linebacker position would be a very nice step in that direction.
Cowboys Predicted to Land Tackling Machine to Bolster Defense