Dallas, TX
Insider Reveals Dallas Cowboys’ Upcoming Plans With Anthony Hill Jr.
The Dallas Cowboys may not have met formally with Texas linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. at the NFL Combine, but their interest in the Longhorns’ defender is still worth watching.
Earlier this week, it was revealed by Dallas Cowboys’ beat writer Clarence Hill Jr. that Dallas has intentions to schedule a private dinner with Hill Jr. ahead of Texas’ pro day.
Currently, the Texas linebacker is rated the No. 5 linebacker and the No. 34 prospect in this year’s draft class.
Texas LB Anthony Hills Jr did not have a formal meeting with the Cowboys at the combine but a private dinner is planned before the Texas pro day, per source
— Clarence Hill Jr (@clarencehilljr) February 25, 2026
The Cowboys have made it abundantly clear that they are keeping their eyes on the elite prospects coming from the state of Texas.
Not only did the organization meet with Longhorns’ linebacker Trey Moore earlier this week, but it has also spent time with multiple Texas A&M prospects during the pre-draft process.
Why Anthony Hill Jr. Makes Sense for Dallas
Hill Jr. makes plenty of sense for Dallas because of the kind of speed, range, and physicality he brings to the second level of a defense. Across three years at Texas, the linebacker totaled just under 250 tackles, 31.5 tackles for a loss, and 17.0 sacks. He also forced eight fumbles, deflected seven passes, and caught three interceptions during his time in Austin as well.
With that kind of résumé at the collegiate level, it’s no wonder why the Cowboys have shown great interest in Hill Jr. While they may not have formally met with him before the NFL Combine, the organization’s willingness to schedule a dinner the Texas linebacker says plenty about the level of respect it has for his game.
There are many mock drafts that have Hill Jr. going in the first round of this year’s draft. He’s projected an early second-round pick, but his versatility and well-rounded physical traits set him apart from most defensive prospects.
He also set himself apart from the other linebackers in this draft cycle by running a 4.51-second 40-time at the NFL Combine earlier this week. Ohio State’s Arvell Reese and Sonny Styles both ran a 4.46-second 40-yard dash, while TCU’s Kaleb Elarms-Orr recorded an impressive time of 4.47 seconds.
The private dinner gives the Cowboys a chance to learn more about Hill Jr. away from the football field. While the Texas linebacker has the tangibles to be an instant playmaker for any NFL franchise, it seems that Dallas is looking to learn more about his personality before the Texas Longhorns’ pro day.
Last year, Texas’ Pro Day took place on March 25, giving NFL teams one final chance to watch the Longhorns’ draft prospects go through drills and interviews in Austin.
Editor’s note: See World Cup standings and scenarios updated in real time
The Socceroos live on at the 2026 World Cup.
Australia and Paraguay played to a 0-0 draw on Thursday night, which was good enough for Australia to secure second place in Group D and advance to the knockout stage of the tournament. Paraguay is likely to advance as a high-ranking third place team, but nothing is confirmed at the moment.
SHOP: Australia round of 32 World Cup tickets
Australia will head to Dallas where they will play their first elimination match on Friday, July 3 against the second-place team from Group G.
While we don’t yet know Australia’s opponent, we know the location, date and time of the match, which means tickets are already available. Here is everything you need to know in order to buy Australia World Cup tickets in Dallas.
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Australia round of 32 World Cup tickets
As of publication, the cheapest round of 32 ticket to see Australia in Dallas on Friday, July 3 is $937. Any ticket for less than $1,000 at this point in the tournament is a steal considering most other prices.
Australia Round of 32 opponent
As the runner-up of Group D, Australia will take on the second-place finisher from Group G. Australia’s opponent will be finalized on Friday, but given the current standings it could be any of the following four teams:
- Egypt
- Iran
- Belgium
- New Zealand
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Australia World Cup schedule
- Australia vs. Turkey – WIN 2-0
- Australia vs. United States – LOSS 2-0
- Australia vs. Paraguay – DRAW 1-1
- Friday, July 3 – Australia vs. Group G runner up at AT&T Stadium in Dallas (round of 32) – Shop tickets
World Cup Group D Standings
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Editor’s note: See World Cup standings and scenarios updated in real time
Ivory Coast is headed to the knockout round at the 2026 World Cup.
With everything on the line Thursday afternoon, the Ivory Coast played perhaps its best match of the tournament so far to lock down second place in Group E and advance to the knockout stage of the tournament. Ivory Coast will head to Dallas where they will play their first elimination match on Tuesday, June 30 against the second-place team from Group I.
SHOP: Ivory Coast round of 32 World Cup tickets in Dallas
While we don’t yet know Ivory Coast’s opponent, we do know that it will either be France or Norway, meaning either way the African squad will have to defend against one of the best goal scorers in the world.
Here is everything you need to know in order to buy Ivory Coast World Cup tickets in Dallas.
Shop Ivory Coast Round of 32 tickets
Ivory Coast round of 32 World Cup tickets
As of publication, the cheapest round of 32 ticket to see Ivory Coast in Dallas on Tuesday, June 30 is $895, making this one of the cheapest tickets for the round of 32.
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Ivory Coast Round of 32 opponent
As the runner-up of Group E, Ivory Coast will take on the second-place finisher from Group I. Ivory Coast’s opponent will be finalized on Friday, but given the current standings it will be either France or Norway.
Shop Ivory Coast Round of 32 tickets
Ivory Coast World Cup schedule
- Sunday, June 14 – Ivory Coast vs. Ecuador – WIN 1-0
- Saturday, June 20 – Ivory Coast vs. Germany – LOSS 2-1
- Thursday, June 25 – Ivory Coast vs. Curacao – WIN 2-0
- Tuesday, June 30 (Round of 32) – Ivory Coast vs. Group I runner up at AT&T Stadium in Dallas – Shop tickets
World Cup Group E standings
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Oftentimes, it’s a good idea to extend players early. The Dallas Cowboys have learned this the hard way as they’ve allowed negotiations with key contributors such as Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, and Micah Parsons to get out of hand.
Prescott was able to use his leverage to land a contract worth $60 million per season, which was a record at the time. Lamb held out during that same offseason, eventually landing a deal worth $34 million annually, whereas Parsons forced his way out after his negotiations stalled.
To their credit, the Cowboys might have tried to avoid more issues by signing a few players early. That includes guard Tyler Smith, who landed a four-year, $96 million extension in 2025. That has proven to be a home run, but the same can’t be said for another one of their big extensions.
Dallas decided to lock up cornerback DaRon Bland, signing the former fifth-round pick to a four-year, $92 million extension. This was a surprise move from the Cowboys since Bland was coming off a frustrating season, which was marred by a foot injury. The Cowboys were banking on Bland returning to the form we saw in 2023, but that wasn’t the case.
Bland continued to struggle with durability and wasn’t the impact player we saw during his breakout season when he was on the field. Now, he enters his fifth season in the league with a hefty price tag, and there are questions about his long-term status with the team.
DaRon Bland’s cap hit in 2026 is a problem
According to Over The Cap, Bland has the fifth-highest cap hit on the team this season. Bland, who is earning an annual average salary of $23 million, has a hit of $17 million this year.
The good news for the Cowboys is that they seemed to protect themselves slightly with this deal. While they can’t feasibly move on in 2026, even if Bland loses his starting job, they do have a way out of his deal next year.
Dallas can release Bland ahead of the 2027 season while absorbing a dead cap hit of $12.941 million. That would essentially make his deal a two-year contract for $36.355 million. That’s still not an ideal situation for the Cowboys, but that’s also what happens when the front office rolls the dice.
It’s also an unfortunate trend, as the Cowboys decided to extend Michael Gallup and Terence Steele while coming off injury-plagued seasons, and the results weren’t much better.
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