Cowboys Announce It’s “Not Possible” For Them To Trade Into Top-Five Picks

There’s been a lot of chatter about the Cowboys potentially trading into the top-10 picks of the 2026 NFL Draft, but they made clear Wednesday that they won’t go much higher than that. When speaking to reporters, executive vice president Stephen Jones said that it’s “not possible” for Dallas to trade into the top five, per Clarence Hill. 

Last week, ESPN’s Matt Miller reported that he heard from a general manager that the Cowboys were one team that could trade into the top 10. Dallas has the No. 12 and No. 20 picks in the first round, as well as eight total selections.

According to Jordan Schultz, the Cowboys have persistently come up in conversations with sources as a team to watch in a trade-up scenario. Schultz went on to say that several teams have told him they think Dallas specifically wants to get ahead of the Giants at No. 5 overall for a player that both teams are coveting, as long as the price makes sense. Since then, New York also acquired the No. 10 overall pick from the Bengals. 

In recent weeks, Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer reported there are several teams in the top ten draft picks who are already looking to move down in the first round. Breer mentions there has been some buzz about Dallas trying to move up for a big-time playmaker on defense. 

One player comes to mind is Ohio State LB Sonny Styles, who has been heavily linked to the Giants and is viewed as one of the best prospects in this class. He’s also had multiple touchpoints with the Cowboys, per our 2026 NFL Draft Visit Tracker, who have a massive need at linebacker. However, he’s expected to go very early in the draft and could be a top-five selection. 

Some other targets could include Ohio State S Caleb Downs, Ohio State LB Arvell Reese if he slides a bit, or even Notre Dame RB Jeremiyah Love. 

For more buzz ahead of the draft, check out our 2026 NFL Draft Rumor Tracker.