The Dallas Cowboys and team owner Jerry Jones are hoping to push back into Super Bowl contention during the upcoming 2026 NFL season.
In order to accomplish that goal, it was clear heading into the offseason that the Cowboys needed to make some improvements. Most of those improvements needed to come on the defensive side of the football, although George Pickens was another priority.
Pickens remains an unknown situation. Dallas placed the non-exclusive franchise tag on him, but doesn’t seem to have interest in working out a long-term extension. Other teams can still negotiate with Pickens and he hasn’t signed his franchise tender yet.
Defensively, the Cowboys have not made the blockbuster move that fans were expecting. Jones and the front office have added quality pieces like pass rusher Rashan Gary, safety Jalen Thompson, and cornerback Cobie Durant, but no true game-changer has been brought in.
Keeping that in mind, Dallas does have two first-round picks in the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft. There are quite a few directions the team could choose to go with those picks.
Dallas Cowboys Warned to Steer Clear of Rumored Draft Target
One potential option that has been heavily suggested for the Cowboys would be select Miami pass rusher Ahkeem Mesidor with one of their two picks.
Mesidor is coming off of a 2025 college football season with the Hurricanes that saw him rack up 63 total tackles to go along with 12.5 sacks and four forced fumbles. He totaled 34.5 sacks throughout his entire six-year college career.
With the draft right around the corner, Dallas has been urged to pass on drafting Mesidor. FanSided’s Rucker Haringey doesn’t think he would be a good fit for the Cowboys.
“If Akheem Mesidor was 21-years-old then he Cowboys might be justified in sprinting to the podium to snap him up at No. 12,” Haringey wrote. “Instead, he’s a 25-year-old prospect that should be avoided by savvy front offices in Round 1.”
Should the Cowboys Heed the Warning About Ahkeem Mesidor?
A 25-year-old rookie is a very rare thing to see. Mesidor had a long college career, but he was also very successful throughout that long career.
One positive to drafting Mesidor would be that he should be ready to play from day one. He stands in at 6-foot-3 and 280 pounds and has gained a lot of experience. That would help Dallas pursue its goal of contention in 2026.
Unfortunately, the reality of the matter is that Mesidor is on pace to have a much shorter career than most players coming into the NFL. The Cowboys would be taking a risk by taking him as opposed to a 21 or 22-year-old.
At the end of the day, Dallas will have to decide whether it wants win-now talent or long-term talent with its first-round selections. Should the Cowboys choose that they’re going all-in on winning now and need a rookie who can play an immediate role, Mesidor would be a good pickup.
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