By Adeniyi Precious 
The Dallas Cowboys have a solid squad, but they need to nail the draft to stay in Super Bowl contention. While they could use their No. 12 pick to snag a top prospect, there’s also the option to trade back and gain more assets.
A recent proposal from K.D. Drummond (Cowboys Wire) suggests sending the No. 12 pick to the Green Bay Packers in exchange for No. 23, No. 54, and a 2026 third-rounder.
Drummond points out that the Cowboys aren’t usually aggressive with draft-day trades but argues that moving down could give them better overall value. In his scenario, Dallas opted to trade back rather than reach for a player they weren’t fully sold on—though it meant passing on safety Malaki Starks.
Who Would the Cowboys Target?
Losing DeMarcus Lawrence in free agency was a big blow, and replacing him won’t be easy. USA Today’s Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz thinks Dallas might use No. 12 to grab defensive end Shemar Stewart, a 6’5″, 267-pound pass rusher who could be a strong complement to Micah Parsons.
Meanwhile, running back Ashton Jeanty has been floated as a potential pick, but taking an RB that early is questionable. According to Marcus Mosher (LockedOnCowboys), Dallas believes they can find a starting-caliber back on Day 2.
If that’s true, then trading down makes even more sense. More picks, more chances to get impact players. Now, it’s up to Jerry Jones to decide whether to play it safe or make a bold move.