The Dallas Cowboys drew massive praise for taking Ohio State safety Caleb Downs at No. 11 overall in the 1st round of the 2026 NFL draft.
They could be in line for that same kind of praise in 2027, according to ESPN’s Jordan Reid.
Reid did the work of putting together a 2027 1st round mock draft using reverse Super Bowl odds and predicted the Cowboys will land Indiana wide receiver Charlie Becker at No. 23 overall.
Becker, 6-foot-4 and 207 pounds, would be the 2nd wide receiver for the Hoosiers in as many years to become a 1st round pick, following Omar Cooper to the New York Jets at No. 30 overall in 2026.
The Cowboys traded away their 2027 1st round pick to the New York Jets for NFL All-Pro defensive tackle Quinnen Williams, so the projected No. 23 overall pick in 2027 comes to them via the Green Bay Packers in the Micah Parsons trade.
“George Pickens has been franchise-tagged for the 2026 season, but it could be too expensive to keep long term, so the Cowboys might need a No. 2 receiver alongside CeeDee Lamb,” Reid wrote. “Becker became a go-to option toward the end of last season during Indiana’s championship push. He averaged 19.9 yards per catch in 2025, the seventh-best mark in the FBS. He’s a former state champion hurdler, and that leaping ability is apparent on jump balls, as he makes tough catches look routine. He’s inexperienced (eight career starts), but Becker has Round 1 potential if his upward trend continues.”
Becker Helped Lead Hoosiers to National Title
Becker was 1 of the breakout stars for Indiana on the way to a 16-0 season and the 1st football national championship in school history while playing alongside Cooper and catching passes from 2026 No. 1 overall pick and Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza.
As a sophomore in 2025, Becker finished with 34 receptions for 679 yards and 4 touchdowns, but had 27 receptions for 522 yards and 4 touchdowns over the final 7 games of the season.
“I’m not sure how high they’ll all be drafted when the time comes, but the receiving trio of Elijah Sarratt, Charlie Becker, and Omar Cooper Jr is one of the most fun in recent memory,” NFL influencer Bengal YouTube wrote on their official X account.
Sarratt was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the 4th round (No. 115 overall).
“Fernando Mendoza: 152.5 Passer Rating when targeting Charlie Becker,” PFF College Football wrote on X. “Highest among all QB/WR duos in college football.”
Becker Comes From Family of Elite Athletes
Becker comes from a family of athletes most notably led by his father, former Ohio State linebacker and professional baseball player Dave Becker.
Dave Becker starred as a linebacker in football and as a catcher in baseball at powerhouse Cincinnati Elder High School and was drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 18th round of the 1992 MLB draft.
He played 3 seasons of minor league baseball, spending 1 season in rookie ball and 2 seasons in Class A for the Blue Jays before he decided to return to football and enroll at Ohio State, where he played linebacker
Charlie Becker’s older brother, Cole Becker, plays linebacker for Appalachian State.
Cowboys Next Predicted 1st Round Pick is 6-foot-4, 207-Pound Big Ten WR