The Dallas Cowboys have clear defensive needs, but a new report suggests Jerry Jones has other plans. A blockbuster trade for a star offensive player could be on the horizon, potentially shaking up the entire 2026 NFL Draft.

The Athletic's Vic Tafur, in his most recent 2026 NFL mock draft, projected the Dallas Cowboys to trade up to No. 3 overall to select Notre Dame Fighting Irish running back Jeremiyah Love. 

“No one is talking about how undervalued the running back position is when a polished prospect like Love pops up,” Tafur wrote. “Looking at those odds again, Love is plus-145 to go third in the draft as opposed to minus-145 at No. 4 and a 20-1 shot to be drafted by the Cowboys, per BetMGM."

Per Tafur, the Cowboys are projected to package picks No. 12 and No. 20 to move all the way up to No. 3, where they'd select Jeremiyah Love out of Notre Dame.

So if Love was not available at No. 12, the Cowboys would have to trade away No. 12 to move up and get him.

Even as a hypothetical, the speculation of such a move shows you how talented the player is expected to be.

In 41 games at Notre Dame, Jeremiyah Love established himself as a formidable running back.

In his college career, he has rushed for 2,882 yards from 433 attempts to give him a career average of 6.7 yards per rush.

Love also made 36 touchdowns along with 63 receptions and 594 receiving yards, as well as six touchdowns through receiving plays.

During the year 2025, which is his best college season, Love ran the ball 199 times for a total of 1,372 yards and 18 rushing touchdowns throughout 12 games, averaging an excellent 6.9 yards per rush, including his longest rush of 94 yards.

In addition, he had 27 receptions for 280 yards and three touchdowns during that year, averaging 10.4 yards per catch.

Alluding to the projected draft, Jerry Jones is someone who has the knack of surprising the fans with his picks, highlighting his priority on getting the best players on the team.

Jerry Jones Keeps Options Open Ahead of 2026 Draft

Despite the alarming needs on the defensive roster this season, Jerry Jones, the owner of the Dallas Cowboys, wants the best players on board, be it on offense or defense.

“I’ve looked at that mirror a lot, about how to go up and down and trade and do those kinds of things," Jones said during the NFL owners meeting to reporter Tommy Yarrish, reflecting the possibility of Tafur's draft about trading up to meet Jeremiyah Love.

With two first-round picks at No. 12 and No. 20, it's projected that the Cowboys are not locked in, and a blockbuster trade is very much on the table heading into the 2026 NFL Draft.

Potential trade-ups have already been suggested with the Arizona Cardinals and the Cleveland Browns for vital top 5 and top 10 pick options.

While the Cowboys have immediate needs to fill gaps on the defense, Jones’ flexibility suggests he could take an opposite approach and use a first-round pick on offense instead. That is, if the analyst projections hold.

What do you think the Cowboys should do? You can read more at the Dallas Cowboys Community!

Written by

Archana Ramakrishnan

Edited by

Aadesh Dhote