Cowboys Predicted to Select George Pickens Insurance at No. 12 in 2026 NFL Draft
In a rare aggressive move from Jerry Jones last offseason, the Dallas Cowboys acquired George Pickens in a trade from the Pittsburgh Steelers, and the move paid immediate dividends. Pickens delivered a career year, emerging as a top target for Dak Prescott and even outproducing CeeDee Lamb, who started the season as WR1.
However, Pickens entered the offseason in the final year of his rookie deal. While both sides have expressed interest in continuing the partnership, they were unable to agree on an extension, and Dallas ultimately placed the franchise tag on him, keeping him for the 2026 season on a one-year, $27 million contract.
The expectation was that the tag would buy time for negotiations, but progress appears to have stalled. Despite Jones publicly stating that Pickens remains part of the team's long-term plans, Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News recently reported that "no talks have occurred" since the franchise tag was applied.
With that uncertainty in mind, ESPN's Todd Archer argues the Cowboys could consider drafting a potential long-term option at wide receiver. If Dallas stays at No. 12 in the 2026 NFL Draft and can't land a top defensive prospect, Arizona State product Jordyn Tyson could be a name to watch.
"If things start to fall this way, I would look for the Cowboys to move inside the top 10 and make sure they get one of the premier defensive players with a trade. But if they remain at 12, Tyson becomes an interesting name to watch. What about George Pickens? All the Cowboys are guaranteed with Pickens at the moment is one more. This does nothing to solve the defensive issues, but it does make the offense more explosive for quarterback Dak Prescott," Archer wrote.
Defense, particularly the pass rush, remains Dallas' biggest need entering the draft, and there is growing buzz that they could trade up for an edge rusher. However, if top prospects like David Bailey, Arvell Reese, Sonny Styles, Caleb Downs, Jeremiyah Love, and Mansoor Delane are off the board by No. 12 as they do in the above-mentioned mock, the Cowboys could be forced to pivot.
If the board moves like this on Thursday in Pittsburgh, Dallas would be left with very few options at No. 12, and that could certainly make it pivot towards the offense.
Tyson has some health concerns owing to an extensive injury history in college, but the fact that he still managed to become a top-three WR prospect of the class speaks for itself. He stands at 6-foot-2 and 200 pounds and is a polished route runner who can make an immediate impact as WR2.
Over four years in college, Tyson recorded 158 receptions for 2,282 yards and 22 touchdowns, along with a rushing score, while averaging more than 14 yards per catch.
As a rookie, Tyson is unlikely to replicate the impact Pickens had last year. But the Cowboys already have a WR1 in Lamb, and Tyson can be thrown into a secondary role to let him develop, while Pickens could be traded for a potential first-round pick, saving Dallas both money and the pick they spent on a rookie.
Even if they don't trade Pickens, Tyson can still be a valuable piece for the Cowboys and make their offense one of the most explosive in the league. However, that would mean the defense continues to suffer, and the 2025 season showed that the Cowboys can't afford that.
Related: Cowboys Predicted to Trade Into Top 10 to Draft All-American
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This story was originally published April 22, 2026 at 5:50 AM.