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MIAMI GARDENS, FL - JANUARY 01: Texas Tech Red Raiders quarterback Behren Morton (2) gets tackled by Oregon Ducks defensive back Dillon Thieneman (31) in the second half during the College Football Playoff Quarterfinal at the Capital One Orange Bowl between Oregon vs Texas Tech on January 1, 2026, at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens,FL. (Photo by Chris Arjoon/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images When they experts talk, maybe we should listen. Peter Schrager, Dane Brugler, Field Yates, and Ran Carthon recently got together on “The Schrager Hour” and took turns predicting all 32 picks in the first round for the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft. They decided to forgo any trade predictions, instead stood pat and selected with each pick. To say things got interesting would be an understatement.
As this mock draft pertains to the Dallas Cowboys, it didn’t exactly start off well. Dallas’ preferred targets came off the board early and often, leaving them pretty wiped out by the time they were on the clock at No. 12. Dane Brugler made the best of the situation by selecting the safety out of Oregon, Dillon Thieneman. It’s important to note though, he likely would’ve tried to trade down if that option had been on the table.
Dane Brugler’s thoughts on Dillon Thieneman from “The Beast”:
“Thieneman reminds me of Justin Reid because of his scheme-friendly recognition skills and eagerness to get busy as a run defender. He projects as a durable NFL starter and has the versatility that should appeal to a variety of defensive structures.”
Thieneman makes a lot of sense for the Cowboys. His position flex to play in the nickel, deep, or in the box would give Christian Parker the type of player he’s looking for in his defensive scheme. His addition would immediately upgrade Dallas’ secondary for the better.
Picking for the Cowboys at No. 20 was Peter Schrager. He’s nailed the Cowboys last two first-round draft picks by predicting Dallas would select Tyler Booker in 2025 and Tyler Guyton in 2024. With the 20th overall pick in the first round this year he predicted they’d select edge Akheem Mesidor out of Miami.
Dane Brugler’s thoughts on Mesidor from “The Beast”;
“Mesidor won’t be universally loved because of his age and injury history, but he is a disruptive force off the edge who is always playing 100 percent. He projects as a three-down NFL starter, with interior value on subpackages.”
Mesidor has become a popular name linked to the Cowboys in the first-round. His ability to rush off the edge as well as kick inside and play the 4i position make him an intriguing option who could play a variety of defensive roles in Christian Parker’s personnel 3-4 scheme.
