Draft History of bringing in Pro Bowl talent

I’m still trying to mentally absorb the historic changes swirling around us, this cataclysm that happens once every hundred years. The New Normal is settling in now and its just hitting home for me mentally of how big of an impact this event was.

The event being CeeDee Lamb dropping to our pick at 17.

He hasn’t played a down in the NFL but there is no question he has the potential to play in a Pro Bowl during his career. I started thinking about how rare it is to get that kind of talent. When you look at the skill position players the Cowboys have had over the years who made the Pro Bowl, it has either been players we spent a very high pick on or someone who was a real gamble like Dez Bryant. You really have to go back to Michael Irvin and Emmitt Smith to find an offensive skill position player that wasn’t a Top Five pick, a draft gamble or a total fluke with a UDFA like Miles Austin.

If you look at the Pro Bowl players we have had at the skill positions for the last 20 years (I’m not including QBs because our last two were lottery ticket finds) You really have to go back 20 years to find this kind of draft win at WR, TE or RB. These were the players who made Pro Bowls at those positions:


Zeke (2016, 2017, 2019)

Amari Cooper (2018, 2019)


Past Players:


Jason Witten (11 times 2003 – 2017)

Dez Bryant (2013, 2014, 2016)

DeMarco Murray (2013, 2014)

Miles Austin (2009, 2010)

Terrell Owens (2007)


For the dynasty teams it was Emmitt, Irvin, Novacek. For all of the 1980’s it was Herschel Walker, Tony Hill and Doug Cosbie.

Look at what it took to acquire those players. Zeke was a top five pick. Amari was a top five pick that we traded for - with a pick that was in the top ten at the time we made the trade.

Witten was a guy we had a second round grade on 20 years ago who ironically was considered "soft". Dez was a top five talent that dropped because of the college scandal. We had a first round grade on DeMarco but he dropped because of injuries. Miles Austin was a lottery pick find as a UDFA. Terrell Owens was only available in FA because he was Terrell Owens, then he was cut after three years.

So in terms of draft capital, its basically been 30 years since Emmitt and Irvin since we had this kind of Pro Bowl type talent land outside the top five until they had real question marks coming in.

Kaiser said:

I’m still trying to mentally absorb the historic changes swirling around us, this cataclysm that happens once every hundred years. The New Normal is settling in now and its just hitting home for me mentally of how big of an impact this event was.

The event being CeeDee Lamb dropping to our pick at 17.

He hasn’t played a down in the NFL but there is no question he has the potential to play in a Pro Bowl during his career. I started thinking about how rare it is to get that kind of talent. When you look at the skill position players the Cowboys have had over the years who made the Pro Bowl, it has either been players we spent a very high pick on or someone who was a real gamble like Dez Bryant. You really have to go back to Michael Irvin and Emmitt Smith to find an offensive skill position player that wasn’t a Top Five pick, a draft gamble or a total fluke with a UDFA like Miles Austin.

If you look at the Pro Bowl players we have had at the skill positions for the last 20 years (I’m not including QBs because our last two were lottery ticket finds) You really have to go back 20 years to find this kind of draft win at WR, TE or RB. These were the players who made Pro Bowls at those positions:


Zeke (2016, 2017, 2019)

Amari Cooper (2018, 2019)


Past Players:


Jason Witten (11 times 2003 – 2017)

Dez Bryant (2013, 2014, 2016)

DeMarco Murray (2013, 2014)

Miles Austin (2009, 2010)

Terrell Owens (2007)


For the dynasty teams it was Emmitt, Irvin, Novacek. For all of the 1980’s it was Herschel Walker, Tony Hill and Doug Cosbie.

Look at what it took to acquire those players. Zeke was a top five pick. Amari was a top five pick that we traded for - with a pick that was in the top ten at the time we made the trade.

Witten was a guy we had a second round grade on 20 years ago who ironically was considered "soft". Dez was a top five talent that dropped because of the college scandal. We had a first round grade on DeMarco but he dropped because of injuries. Miles Austin was a lottery pick find as a UDFA. Terrell Owens was only available in FA because he was Terrell Owens, then he was cut after three years.

So in terms of draft capital, its basically been 30 years since Emmitt and Irvin since we had this kind of Pro Bowl type talent land outside the top five until they had real question marks coming in.

Click to expand...

We've had bunch of Pro Bowl skill players taken outside the top 5. Right?
Most of them even

Plus, of course, Lamb actually has to make a Pro Bowl. Hoping he will soon!

Kaiser said:

The event being CeeDee Lamb dropping to our pick at 17.

He hasn’t played a down in the NFL but there is no question he has the potential to play in a Pro Bowl during his career.

Click to expand...

Several Pro Bowls.

DFWJC said:

We've had bunch of Pro Bowl skill players taken outside the top 5. Right?
Most of them even

Click to expand...

I didn't list the QBs but I took the list from Pro Football Reference going back to the 80s and Herschel Walker. I didn't list the guys like Frederick or Byron Jones because you can get those positions easier at 17 than a skill position.

I listed the WR, TE and RB positions and not QB, but looking at that list you really have to think you get that kind of talent from a top five pick (Zeke, Amari), a draft gamble like Dez Bryant or DeMarco or its basically luck like Witten/Miles Austin.

From that list, you really don't see a Pro Bowl talent at a skill position who didn't have real question marks until you go back to Irvin and Emmitt.

big dog cowboy said:

Several Pro Bowls.

Click to expand...

I also didn't mention Gallup because he hasn't done it yet. But its completely insane that we could have three WRs that are at the Pro Bowl level.

I feel like Lamb's a rare player. Very high potential especially with the support her has in the offense. His learning curve will be much kinder than if he was thrown in and asked to be #1 in week one.

It was a fortunate draft in what needs were there for many teams between 1-17 that he ended up in Dallas.

I think Jeudy will have a good career too. Both were high potential and it was a rare situation to have that depth of talent that you had WR's that were on the board mid draft.

CowboysDrew said:

Very high potential especially with the support her has in the offense. .

Click to expand...

Her? Is this a Bill Parcells thing?

Kidding, with Lamb RAC ability I don't think you could dream up a better situation than playing the slot with Amari and Gallup on the outside. Kellen Moore is still walking on air since the draft.

Kaiser said:

I’m still trying to mentally absorb the historic changes swirling around us, this cataclysm that happens once every hundred years. The New Normal is settling in now and its just hitting home for me mentally of how big of an impact this event was.

The event being CeeDee Lamb dropping to our pick at 17.

He hasn’t played a down in the NFL but there is no question he has the potential to play in a Pro Bowl during his career. I started thinking about how rare it is to get that kind of talent. When you look at the skill position players the Cowboys have had over the years who made the Pro Bowl, it has either been players we spent a very high pick on or someone who was a real gamble like Dez Bryant. You really have to go back to Michael Irvin and Emmitt Smith to find an offensive skill position player that wasn’t a Top Five pick, a draft gamble or a total fluke with a UDFA like Miles Austin.

If you look at the Pro Bowl players we have had at the skill positions for the last 20 years (I’m not including QBs because our last two were lottery ticket finds) You really have to go back 20 years to find this kind of draft win at WR, TE or RB. These were the players who made Pro Bowls at those positions:


Zeke (2016, 2017, 2019)

Amari Cooper (2018, 2019)


Past Players:


Jason Witten (11 times 2003 – 2017)

Dez Bryant (2013, 2014, 2016)

DeMarco Murray (2013, 2014)

Miles Austin (2009, 2010)

Terrell Owens (2007)


For the dynasty teams it was Emmitt, Irvin, Novacek. For all of the 1980’s it was Herschel Walker, Tony Hill and Doug Cosbie.

Look at what it took to acquire those players. Zeke was a top five pick. Amari was a top five pick that we traded for - with a pick that was in the top ten at the time we made the trade.

Witten was a guy we had a second round grade on 20 years ago who ironically was considered "soft". Dez was a top five talent that dropped because of the college scandal. We had a first round grade on DeMarco but he dropped because of injuries. Miles Austin was a lottery pick find as a UDFA. Terrell Owens was only available in FA because he was Terrell Owens, then he was cut after three years.

So in terms of draft capital, its basically been 30 years since Emmitt and Irvin since we had this kind of Pro Bowl type talent land outside the top five until they had real question marks coming in.

Click to expand...

Too much tongue clacking, hot air and hyperbole for me.

Lamb might be great or he could be out of the league in a few years. He's not explosive enough for my taste and unlike the big12, there is defense played at this level. Penciling him into future pro bowls is absurd.

KD said:

Too much tongue clacking, hot air and hyperbole for me.

Lamb might be great or he could be out of the league in a few years. He's not explosive enough for my taste and unlike the big12, there is defense played at this level. Penciling him into future pro bowls is absurd.

Click to expand...

Kaiser said:

Her? Is this a Bill Parcells thing?

Kidding, with Lamb RAC ability I don't think you could dream up a better situation than playing the slot with Amari and Gallup on the outside. Kellen Moore is still walking on air since the draft.

Click to expand...

Typo, but good one.

Kaiser said:

I’m still trying to mentally absorb the historic changes swirling around us, this cataclysm that happens once every hundred years. The New Normal is settling in now and its just hitting home for me mentally of how big of an impact this event was.

The event being CeeDee Lamb dropping to our pick at 17.

He hasn’t played a down in the NFL but there is no question he has the potential to play in a Pro Bowl during his career. I started thinking about how rare it is to get that kind of talent. When you look at the skill position players the Cowboys have had over the years who made the Pro Bowl, it has either been players we spent a very high pick on or someone who was a real gamble like Dez Bryant. You really have to go back to Michael Irvin and Emmitt Smith to find an offensive skill position player that wasn’t a Top Five pick, a draft gamble or a total fluke with a UDFA like Miles Austin.

If you look at the Pro Bowl players we have had at the skill positions for the last 20 years (I’m not including QBs because our last two were lottery ticket finds) You really have to go back 20 years to find this kind of draft win at WR, TE or RB. These were the players who made Pro Bowls at those positions:


Zeke (2016, 2017, 2019)

Amari Cooper (2018, 2019)


Past Players:


Jason Witten (11 times 2003 – 2017)

Dez Bryant (2013, 2014, 2016)

DeMarco Murray (2013, 2014)

Miles Austin (2009, 2010)

Terrell Owens (2007)


For the dynasty teams it was Emmitt, Irvin, Novacek. For all of the 1980’s it was Herschel Walker, Tony Hill and Doug Cosbie.

Look at what it took to acquire those players. Zeke was a top five pick. Amari was a top five pick that we traded for - with a pick that was in the top ten at the time we made the trade.

Witten was a guy we had a second round grade on 20 years ago who ironically was considered "soft". Dez was a top five talent that dropped because of the college scandal. We had a first round grade on DeMarco but he dropped because of injuries. Miles Austin was a lottery pick find as a UDFA. Terrell Owens was only available in FA because he was Terrell Owens, then he was cut after three years.

So in terms of draft capital, its basically been 30 years since Emmitt and Irvin since we had this kind of Pro Bowl type talent land outside the top five until they had real question marks coming in.

Click to expand...

Not to mention OT, OG and C.

Tyron Smith, Zach Martin and Travis Frederick amassed a ton of pro bowl and all pro honors too.

Kaiser said:

Click to expand...

That gif is as weak as your initial post.