Cowboys jump Commanders for elite defender in Mel Kiper's mock draft

The 2026 NFL Draft is rapidly approaching, and mock drafts are flying every day.

It's been a common sight in mock drafts to see the Washington Commanders select a defensive player with the No. 7 pick. This is certainly possible, but a recent report suggests the team could be looking to trade down or take an offensive playmaker.

To summarize, we don't know what the Commanders will do. One prospect who seems like a perfect fit on paper, though, is Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles. The 2025 season proved that the Commanders need a younger, faster linebacker than Bobby Wagner, and Styles is definitely both. As a former safety, Styles has the coverage skills and football IQ to be a leader on defense for years.

However, in draft expert Mel Kiper's latest mock, the Commanders don't have the chance to draft Styles. Instead, the rival Dallas Cowboys jump the Commanders in a trade and select Styles with the No. 6 pick. That would certainly hurt, to see your hated rival jump you and take a player of interest. It's possible, too, considering the Cowboys desperately need a linebacker.

Notably, the Cowboys own the No. 12 pick, and there's (probably) no team between No. 7 and No. 12 other than the Commanders that would take Styles. Not only would the Cowboys land one of the top overall prospects in the draft, but they'd be ensuring he doesn't end up with a division rival.

Meanwhile, Kiper has the Commanders pivoting and selecting Ohio State receiver Carnell Tate at No. 7. Tate very well could be the pick even if Styles is available, because the Commanders do need more pass-catchers. In this scenario, the front office probably wouldn't be all that disappointed.

"Paired with another Ohio State product in Terry McLaurin, Tate would bring clean route running, reliability and some big-play ability. He averaged 17.2 yards per catch last season en route to 875 yards and nine trips to the end zone," Kiper explained. "Considering the Commanders would be relying on Luke McCaffrey, Treylon Burks and Dyami Brown behind McLaurin, this makes sense."

Tate would certainly fill a need on the Commanders' roster, but it would still sting to see a player like Styles lining up for the Cowboys.

This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Washington Commanders: Cowboys make jump for Styles in new Kiper mock