X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

10 Best Dallas Cowboys Draft Picks of All Time

CeeDee Lamb - Fantasy Football Rankings, DFS and Betting Picks, NFL Injury News
Jason Witten - Dallas Cowboys, NFL, Tight End, Rankings

10 Greatest NFL Draft Picks in Dallas Cowboys History

With a nickname like “America’s Team”, it’s pretty safe to say that tons of football fans are paying close attention to the picks the Dallas Cowboys make in the NFL Draft. There have undoubtedly been huge hits and misses during the Jerry Jones era, but we’ll dive all the way back in Cowboys history to determine the iconic franchise’s 10 best NFL draft picks.

Remember, this isn’t a “greatest Dallas Cowboys of all time” list, so we’ll consider where a player was selected overall, as well as the players that were available around them. Let’s dive in!

DALLAS COWBOYS LOGO - NFL, STOCK

10. Bob Hayes - 88th Overall Pick, Seventh Round; 1964 NFL Draft

Dallas’ selection of “Bullet” Bob Hayes forever changed the way players are evaluated for the NFL Draft. The Cowboys elected to take a chance on the Olympic-level sprinter with unrefined football skills. Hayes’ speed revolutionized the pro passing attack and forced defenses to focus on downfield threats.

CeeDee Lamb - Fantasy Football Rankings, DFS and Betting Picks, NFL Injury News

9. CeeDee Lamb - 17th Overall Pick, First Round; 2020 NFL Draft

What makes the selection of CeeDee Lamb stand out is that he was the third wide receiver selected in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft. Going behind Henry Ruggs and Jerry Jeudy, Lamb has lapped both in production over the course of his dazzling career with the Cowboys.

DALLAS COWBOYS LOGO - NFL, STOCK

8. Larry Allen - 46th Overall Pick, Second Round; 1994 NFL Draft

Dallas made Larry Allen their highest offensive lineman selected since 1981 by grabbing him with the 46th overall pick of the 1994 NFL Draft. The Cowboys took a huge risk on the athletic lineman out of tiny Sonoma State University and it paid off in a huge way, as Allen won a Super Bowl and made 10 Pro Bowls while in Dallas. He was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2013.

DALLAS COWBOYS LOGO - NFL, STOCK

7. Tony Dorsett - 2nd Overall Pick, First Round; 1977 NFL Draft

We know that things can sometimes go horribly wrong when trading up in the NFL Draft, so it feels like we should recognize it when an aggressive trade pays off. The Cowboys gave up an impressive haul of draft picks – a first and three second-rounders – to the Seattle Seahawks in order to move up and select Tony Dorsett with the second overall pick of the 1977 NFL Draft. Needless to say, the moved worked out beautifully for the Cowboys, as Dorsett helped lead the team to a Super Bowl title in his rookie season.

DALLAS COWBOYS LOGO - NFL, STOCK

6. Zach Martin - 16th Overall Pick, First Round; 2014 NFL Draft

While nabbing a future Hall of Famer with a mid first-round pick deserves a tip of the cap in and of itself, the selection of Zach Martin is especially notable due to the circumstances surrounding it. 2014 was the infamous “Johnny Manziel Draft” and Cowboys owner Jerry Jones was apparently itching to take “Johnny Football” with the pick that was ultimately used to select Martin. a player that was a certified college football phenom.

For once, Jones’ more conservative side won out, as the ‘Boys passed on a player that was a certified college football phenom and hit a home-run with the selection of Martin, a player who provided Dallas with an offensive line stalwart for the next decade, while Manziel’s career flamed out quickly in Cleveland.

DALLAS COWBOYS LOGO - NFL, STOCK

5. Troy Aikman - 1st Overall Pick, First Round; 1989 NFL Draft

Getting a great player with the first overall pick is nowhere near guaranteed, but the 1989 NFL Draft was an especially interesting one when considering that four of the first five players selected ultimately landed in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

The one who didn’t – Tony Mandarich – was selected by the Green Bay Packers with the second overall pick and is considered one of the biggest busts of all time. Dallas wisely picked Troy Aikman ahead of Mandarich, a decision that put the Cowboys dynasty of the 1990s into motion.

Jason Witten - Dallas Cowboys, NFL, Tight End, Rankings

4. Jason Witten - 69th Overall Pick, Third Round; 2003 NFL Draft

The fact that Jason Witten was selected in the third round and was the fifth tight end selected in the 2003 NFL Draft sends him skyrocketing up our list of Dallas’ greatest draft picks. Despite starting only one season at the University of Tennessee, Witten elected to skip his senior year and enter the NFL Draft, a decision that many talent evaluators thought was a mistake. The Cowboys were rewarded by their decision to grab Witten, as he went on to become Dallas’ all-time leader in receptions and receiving yards.

DALLAS COWBOYS LOGO - NFL, STOCK

3. Larry Brown - 320th Overall Picks, 12th Round; 1991 NFL Draft

Arguably the best value pick in Cowboys history, Larry Brown was the 320th player off the board in the 1991 NFL Draft. Despite being an overlooked cornerback out of TCU selected in the 12th round, Brown would earn a starting spot in the Dallas secondary during his rookie season. He would go on to be a key member of three Super Bowl championship teams and earned Super Bowl MVP honors while with Dallas.

DALLAS COWBOYS LOGO - NFL, STOCK

2. Emmitt Smith - 17th Overall Pick, First Round; 1990 NFL Draft

Remember when running backs used to go in the first round? While many will debate the value of selecting an RB early in the modern NFL, I’m sure Dallas is very happy with their selection of Emmitt Smith with the 17th overall pick of the 1990 NFL Draft. Smith was the second running back off the board in the first round – behind Penn State’s Blair Thomas who went second overall to the New York Jets – but would become a legendary cog in the Cowboys dynasty of the 1990s. He is the NFL’s all-time rushing leader and a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

DALLAS COWBOYS LOGO - NFL, STOCK

1. Roger Staubach - 129th Overall Pick, 10th Round; 1964 NFL Draft

A Heisman Trophy winner while at the Naval Academy, Roger Staubach’s talent was no secret. However, drafting the Navy quarterback wasn’t exactly a no-brainer, as the team that selected Staubach would have to wait for him to complete his final year at the Naval Academy, as well as his mandatory four-year military duty.

The Cowboys took a chance on Staubach and to say it paid off would be an understatement. Following his military service, which included time in Vietnam, he made his debut as a 27-year-old rookie in 1969. Staubach would ultimately lead Dallas to four Super Bowl appearances and two Super Bowl titles in his illustrious career.

POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Vince Williams Jr.43 mins ago

Returning On Monday
Coby White48 mins ago

Tagged As Probable For Monday
Josh Giddey52 mins ago

Doubtful For Monday
Gary Trent Jr.56 mins ago

Cleared For Sunday
Scotty Pippen Jr.1 hour ago

Listed As Questionable For Monday
Ja Morant1 hour ago

Won't Play Monday
Aaron Nesmith1 hour ago

Questionable Versus Minnesota
Tyrese Haliburton2 hours ago

On The Injury Report For Monday Night
Michael Tonkin2 hours ago

Will Open Season On IL
Aaron Wiggins2 hours ago

Returns To Action Against Bucks
Michel Otañez2 hours ago

Michel Otanez Shut Down From Throwing
Myles Turner2 hours ago

Questionable Against Minnesota
Kyle Kuzma2 hours ago

Ready To Play Sunday
Pascal Siakam2 hours ago

Won't Play On Monday
Damian Lillard2 hours ago

Good To Go Sunday
Giannis Antetokounmpo2 hours ago

Available Against OKC
Brandon Marsh2 hours ago

Exits Early Sunday
Andrew Wiggins2 hours ago

Iffy For Monday's Game
Zion Williamson2 hours ago

Listed As Questionable For Monday
Royce Lewis2 hours ago

Expected To Begin 2025 On IL
NFL2 hours ago

Ryan Stonehouse Signs With Dolphins
Sam Darnold2 hours ago

Could Opt-Out After One Season
Luguentz Dort3 hours ago

Will Miss Sunday's Game
Chet Holmgren3 hours ago

Ready For Action Sunday
Mark Andrews3 hours ago

Unlikely To Be Cut
Jalen Williams3 hours ago

Unavailable Against Bucks
Mike Conley3 hours ago

Resting Against Jazz
Kenyon Martin Jr.3 hours ago

Out On Sunday
Igor Shesterkin4 hours ago

Remains In Rangers Crease Sunday
John Gibson4 hours ago

Still Out On Sunday
Nick Bjugstad4 hours ago

Returns For Utah Sunday
Filip Chytil4 hours ago

Questionable For Sunday
Jiri Kulich4 hours ago

In Concussion Protocol
Adam Pelech4 hours ago

Out On Sunday
Zach Hyman5 hours ago

A Game-Time Call Sunday
Bailey Falter5 hours ago

Ready To Go For Monday
Yu Darvish5 hours ago

Dealing With Fatigue
Clarke Schmidt5 hours ago

Won't Start On Monday
Mark Leiter Jr.5 hours ago

Should Be Ready For Opening Day
David Bednar5 hours ago

Not Officially Named Closer
Yoán Moncada5 hours ago

Yoan Moncada Could Land On Injured List
NFL6 hours ago

Keith Taylor Signs With Falcons
NFL6 hours ago

Storm Norton Back With Atlanta
Ronnie Rivers6 hours ago

Re-Ups With Rams
Mason Adams7 hours ago

Diagnosed With Flex Strain
Joey Gallo7 hours ago

White Sox Release Joey Gallo
Sean Burke7 hours ago

Named Opening Day Starter
Jung Hoo Lee7 hours ago

Expected To Remain Sidelined For A Few Days
Max Kepler7 hours ago

Exits Early On Sunday After Collision
Eiberson Castellano8 hours ago

Could Win Bullpen Job
Kyle Freeland8 hours ago

Rockies Name Kyle Freeland Their Starter For Opening Day
Royce Lewis8 hours ago

Exits Early On Sunday
Ramón Urías8 hours ago

Ramon Urias Expected To Return On Thursday
Emmanuel Rivera8 hours ago

Dealing With Sore Shoulder
Ronny Mauricio8 hours ago

Won't Play In Spring Training Games
New York Jets9 hours ago

Derrick Nnadi Signing With Jets
Washington Commanders9 hours ago

Eddie Goldman Joins Commanders On One-Year Deal
Cooper Rush9 hours ago

Agrees On Two-Year Deal With Ravens
Baltimore Ravens12 hours ago

Ben Cleveland Remaining With Ravens
Seattle Seahawks12 hours ago

Shemar Jean-Charles Signing With Seahawks
Velus Jones Jr.12 hours ago

Signs With Saints
Christopher Bell13 hours ago

Quest For Four Wins In A Row Just Got More Difficult
Kyle Larson13 hours ago

Should Contend For Another Win At Las Vegas
Ryan Blaney13 hours ago

Once Again The Chalk DFS Pick At Las Vegas
Ross Chastain13 hours ago

Fastest In Practice At Las Vegas
Chris Buescher14 hours ago

Has Sneaky Upside This Weekend
Quinton Byfield14 hours ago

Scores In Sixth Straight Contest
Chase Elliott14 hours ago

May Be A Sneaky DFS Option For Las Vegas Lineups
Artemi Panarin14 hours ago

Extends Point Streak To Eight Games
Pyotr Kochetkov14 hours ago

Shuts The Door On Flyers On Saturday
William Byron14 hours ago

Expect William Byron To Compete For The Win At Las Vegas
Tyler Reddick14 hours ago

Is One Of The Top DFS Options For Las Vegas
Anthony Cirelli14 hours ago

Strikes Twice On Saturday
Denny Hamlin15 hours ago

Could Denny Hamlin Be A Quality Driver For DFS At Las Vegas?
Alex Ovechkin15 hours ago

Scores Goal, Adds Assist In Victory
Connor Dewar15 hours ago

Scores Twice On Saturday
NASCAR15 hours ago

Bubba Wallace Could Be A Solid DFS Option For Las Vegas
Brad Keselowski15 hours ago

Qualifies Deep In The Field For Las Vegas
Erik Jones15 hours ago

Is Erik Jones Worth Rostering At Las Vegas This Week?
Daniel Suarez15 hours ago

Should Fantasy Managers Roster Daniel Suarez At Las Vegas?
Carson Hocevar15 hours ago

Showcases Speed And Can Be Worth Rostering At Las Vegas
Ryan Preece16 hours ago

Is Ryan Preece A DFS Fade For Las Vegas Lineups?
Joey Logano16 hours ago

Likely To Lead At Las Vegas, But Will He Lead Enough For DFS Consideration?
Michael McDowell16 hours ago

Wins Spire Motorsports' First Pole At Las Vegas
Austin Cindric16 hours ago

Qualifies Third But Is Almost Guaranteed To Lose Spots
Chase Briscoe16 hours ago

Las Vegas Performance Hard To Predict
Ty Gibbs16 hours ago

A Solid DFS Option In Theory
Shane Van Gisbergen17 hours ago

Too Inexperienced At Las Vegas For DFS Consideration
Jordan Mason23 hours ago

Vikings Acquire Jordan Mason From 49ers, Sign Him To Two-Year Deal
Dee Eskridge1 day ago

Sticking With Dolphins
JuJu Smith-Schuster1 day ago

Returning To Chiefs
Tennessee Titans1 day ago

Chidobe Awuzie Released By Titans
Parris Campbell1 day ago

Headed To Dallas
Jiri Kulich1 day ago

Sustains An Upper-Body Injury Saturday
Tyler Myers1 day ago

Set To Return Against Blackhawks
Nikita Kucherov1 day ago

Good To Go Against Bruins
Yegor Chinakhov1 day ago

Rejoins Blue Jackets Lineup Saturday
Joel Armia1 day ago

Expected To Return On Saturday
Brady Tkachuk1 day ago

Available Saturday
Adam Fox1 day ago

Ready To Rejoin Rangers Lineup
Philadelphia Eagles1 day ago

Patrick Johnson Rejoins Philadelphia
Los Angeles Rams1 day ago

Larrell Murchison Back With The Rams
Kirk Cousins1 day ago

Set To Receive Roster Bonus
Aaron Rodgers1 day ago

Wants To Play In Minnesota
Eeli Tolvanen2 days ago

Scores Twice In Victory
Roman Dolidze3 days ago

Set For A Rematch
Marvin Vettori3 days ago

Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Chidi Njokuani3 days ago

Looks For His Third Win In A Row
Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos3 days ago

Looks For His 12th UFC Win
Kurt Holobaugh3 days ago

An Underdog At UFC Vegas 104
Alexander Hernandez3 days ago

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
Cody Gibson3 days ago

Looks For His Third Consecutive Win
Da'Mon Blackshear3 days ago

A Favorite At UFC Vegas 104
Brendson Ribeiro3 days ago

Searching For Second UFC Win On Saturday
Diyar Nurgozhay3 days ago

Set To Make His UFC Debut
MMA3 days ago

Seung Woo Choi In Dire Need Of Victory
Kevin Vallejos3 days ago

Makes Debut At UFC Vegas 104
Jacob Bridgeman4 days ago

Use Caution For Jacob Bridgeman At TPC Sawgrass
Nicolai Hojgaard4 days ago

Looks To Stay Consistent Heading Into PLAYERS Championship
Karl Vilips4 days ago

Makes PLAYERS Championship Debut After First PGA Tour Win
Taylor Pendrith4 days ago

A Sneaky Play At TPC Sawgrass
Sahith Theegala4 days ago

Out Of Form Ahead Of The PLAYERS Championship
Matt Fitzpatrick5 days ago

A Shaky Play Heading Into PLAYERS
Scottie Scheffler5 days ago

Eyeing Three-Peat At TPC Sawgrass
Aldrich Potgieter5 days ago

A Risky Play At TPC Sawgrass
Si Woo Kim5 days ago

Looks To Keep Building Momentum At The PLAYERS
Denny McCarthy5 days ago

Looks To Continue Solid Play At TPC Sawgrass
Collin Morikawa5 days ago

Poised For Another Strong Performance At TPC Sawgrass
Robert MacIntyre5 days ago

A Risky Play With Upside At The PLAYERS Championship
Jordan Spieth5 days ago

Looking To Change Fortunes At TPC Sawgrass
Cameron Young5 days ago

Avoid Cameron Young At The PLAYERS Championship
Michael Kim5 days ago

Continues Incredible Form Ahead Of The PLAYERS Championship
Justin Thomas5 days ago

Looking For More Magic At TPC Sawgrass
Xander Schauffele5 days ago

Continues Competitive Return At The Players Championship
Rory McIlroy5 days ago

Looks To Reverse Recent History At TPC Sawgrass
PGA5 days ago

Victor Hovland Looking To Find Form At The PLAYERS Championship
Brian Harman5 days ago

A Sleeper Pick At The PLAYERS Championship
Min Woo Lee5 days ago

A Hard Name To Trust At The Players Championship
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF