FRISCO, TX — 30.1 points per game. That is the ugly number etched into the walls at The Star this offseason. It represents the worst defensive scoring average in the NFL during the 2025 season, a campaign that saw the Dallas Cowboys limp to a 7-9-1 finish. While the controversial trade of Micah Parsons left the fan base in a state of shock, the 2026 NFL Draft offers Jerry Jones a chance to stop the bleeding with three specific sleepers who fit the team’s new blue-collar identity.
If Dallas wants to fix a defense that finished dead last in points allowed, the work starts in the dirt. Kaleb Proctor is the names scouts whisper about when they think the cameras are off. Coming out of Southeastern Louisiana, Proctor isn’t a household name, but his 9 sacks and 13 tackles for loss in 2025 scream elite potential. At 6-foot-2 and 291 pounds, he plays with a leverage that larger guards simply can’t handle.
The Cowboys’ new defensive scheme requires a 3-technique who can penetrate. Proctor’s 4.79-second 40-yard dash is rare for a man his size. He doesn’t just occupy space; he hunts. Pairing him inside with the newly acquired Rashan Gary on the edge would give Dallas the “inside-out” pressure they lacked throughout the 2025 collapse. You can almost feel the turf move when he gets that first step into the backfield.
The Cowboys offense hummed at times behind Dak Prescott, but it lacked a terrifying third option to take the heat off CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens. Brenen Thompson is that lightning bolt. The Mississippi State product clocked a blistering 4.26 40-yard dash at the Combine, the kind of speed that forces safeties to play 15 yards deep. Thompson hauled in 57 catches for 1,054 yards last year, with seven of his touchdowns coming on plays of 40-plus yards.
Adding Thompson isn’t just about the box score. It’s about geometry. When Thompson clears out the deep third, Lamb and Pickens own the intermediate routes. The Dallas humidity usually slows teams down in September, but Thompson’s track background suggests he’ll be running past exhausted corners well into the fourth quarter. He transforms a “good” offense into a “defensive coordinator’s nightmare.”
Running back depth was a massive failure for Dallas in 2025. While Javonte Williams pounded the rock, the team lacked a chess piece in the passing game. Enter Wake Forest’s Demond Claiborne. He finished his 2025 senior season with 907 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns, but his value lies in his 4.37 speed and elite pass-blocking grades. He is the ultimate “fix-it” back for a team that struggled to protect Prescott on crucial downs.
Claiborne is “country tough,” a trait that Jerry Jones has publicly craved since the Parsons trade. He navigates tight spaces with a vision that reminds scouts of a young Tony Pollard, but with a thicker frame to handle the NFL’s physical toll. He offers a legitimate three-down option that could stabilize a backfield that too often went stagnant in late-game situations.
“We let the city down last year. 7-9-1 isn’t the standard here and 30 points a game is a disgrace. We don’t need stars; we need dogs who know how to win their gap. This draft has to be about grit, period.”
— Anonymous Cowboys Veteran Starter
The Cowboys currently sit with the 14th overall pick, but these three targets likely fall into the Day 2 and Day 3 range. Selecting Proctor and Claiborne would immediately address the lack of physical identity that plagued the 2025 roster. If Dallas ignores the interior defensive line again, expect another year of Dak Prescott playing hero ball just to stay competitive. The window is closing, and the 2026 Draft is the final chance to prove that the “America’s Team” moniker still carries weight on the field, not just on a balance sheet.
