A former Dallas Cowboys legend has delivered a blunt message to Jerry Jones, calling on him to acknowledge a harsh truth as the NFL Draft approaches.

Cowboys icon and the league's all-time leading rusher, Emmitt Smith, has urged the team to be flexible in the draft, especially when it comes to the first round.

"Unless you have that guy at 12, that guy that will make a major difference at the linebacker corps, or a major difference at the defensive end side [or] that guy at the cornerback spot; if he's not that guy, trade down and get more guys," Smith said in his appearance at the 105.5 The Fan.

"You won't hear the Cowboys say this, but you're about to rebuild that defense",

The Cowboys defense was a letdown for yet another time last year, and it is high time that Dallas takes an aggressive stance in changing the defense. They need quality personnel on this side of the ball. And at No. 12 and No. 20, they might not have the best men available. Prospects like LB Arvell Reese, DEs Rueben Bain Jr. and David Bailey are expected to be picked up within 10 picks.

The Cowboys may choose to sit with their 12th pick, but the No. 20 pick is an expendable one. And if the third-round pick can also be traded down, the team can potentially get more picks and get more young players from the draft. Dallas has no round 2 pick, which could be made possible by trading down.

Bill Barnwell of ESPN most recently projected the Cowboys to trade their No. 20 with Kansas City's 29th, 74th, and 109th picks. Another trade down fielded by Jordan Reid saw Dallas trading away their 12th pick to the New York Jets to get their 16th, a fourth-round pick, and a seventh-round pick. The latter mock projection would give the Cowboys a total of 10 picks, instead of their current eighth.

Thankfully, Jerry Jones has agreed to approach the draft with a flexible mindset.

Jerry Jones Is Open to Trading Up or Down in the 2026 Draft

In the draft, they need to pick up depth, which requires more picks. Jones shared his thoughts on changing up the draft strategy.

"We'll entertain improving or an in-draft read on what gives us a better chance to get another player, and still have our pick and the red meat of top players," he said in the annual league meetings in March. "Now that has an on-the-board aspect to it, but it's very doable."

"It's one thing to sit here right now, it's another thing to sit and look at it three hours into the draft and see what you got there. So all of that is a possibility."

How Jones goes about in the draft will play a big role in the team's chances of a comeback this season. Will Dallas take a risk and trade down?

Let us know your comments.

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Written by

Archana Ramakrishnan

Edited by

Afreen Kabir