News: DMN: The 10 greatest draft steals in Dallas Cowboys history

LatinMind · Apr 3, 2016

Cant see how Emmitt is not either 1 or 2 on there.

PJTHEDOORS · Apr 3, 2016

LatinMind said:
Cant see how Emmitt is not either 1 or 2 on there.

For steals, Emmitt at #17 and Larry Allen at #46, I put Allen ahead of him.

big dog cowboy · Apr 3, 2016

Walker has to be on this list for it to be legit.

BTW 1st round picks are not steals.

KJJ · Apr 3, 2016

LatinMind said:
Cant see how Emmitt is not either 1 or 2 on there.

Emmitt being the 17th overall pick was too high a pick to be considered a steal. Any player taken in the first round you're expecting a real good player. Granted he exceeded expectations but hard to consider the 17th overall pick as being a steal regardless how great a player he became. You need every team in the league to pass a player up at least once for them to be a steal in my opinion.

LatinMind · Apr 3, 2016

PJTHEDOORS said:
For steals, Emmitt at #17 and Larry Allen at #46, I put Allen ahead of him.

in terms of what Emmitt meant to this franchise not even close

PJTHEDOORS · Apr 4, 2016

LatinMind said:
in terms of what Emmitt meant to this franchise not even close

No one saying Allen is a better player than Smith, saying that Smith being picked at #17 wasn't a steal. Allen at #46 was. As far as NFL honors.

SMITH
8× Pro Bowl (1990–1995, 1998, 1999)
4× First-team All-Pro (1992–1995)

ALLEN
11× Pro Bowl (1995–2001, 2003–2006)
7× All-Pro (1995–2001)

plasticman · Apr 4, 2016

Then again, there are the ones that got away.

Did you know the Cowboys drafted 2Hall of Famers in their very first draft 1961? There was Bob Lilly but also Billy Shaw who endes up in the AFL.

In 1992 the Cowboys had back to back 2nd round picks. There 2nd one was Datren Woodsen. Just prior to him they selected WR Jimmy Smith who ended up in a dispute with Jerry Jones over lost salary due to season ending apendicitis.

He left the team and ended up as the leading receiver in Panther history. Imagine him paired with Michael Irvin.

Then there was 2nd round pick Todd Christiensen in 1978. He was the 3rd TE behind Billy Joe Depree and Jean Fugett.

He left the team, cut in a contract dispute with Tex Schramm, later became an All Pro with the Raiders during their glory years.

But it doesn't end there:

When the next draft came along the Cowboys did something in the 3rd riynd that they had never done before in any previous draft.

They drafted for need rather than the best available player. Due to the departure of Christiansen, they felt they needed another TE rather than the QB that was considered the remaining BAP. They felt they were set with Staubach, White, and Glen Carano.

So thet took Doug Cosbie and in doing so, passed over Joe Montana.

Plankton · Apr 4, 2016

plasticman said:
Then again, there are the ones that got away.

Did you know the Cowboys drafted 2Hall of Famers in their very first draft 1961? There was Bob Lilly but also Billy Shaw who endes up in the AFL.

In 1992 the Cowboys had back to back 2nd round picks. There 2nd one was Datren Woodsen. Just prior to him they selected WR Jimmy Smith who ended up in a dispute with Jerry Jones over lost salary due to season ending apendicitis.

He left the team and ended up as the leading receiver in Panther history. Imagine him paired with Michael Irvin.

Then there was 2nd round pick Todd Christiensen in 1978. He was the 3rd TE behind Billy Joe Depree and Jean Fugett.

He left the team, cut in a contract dispute with Tex Schramm, later became an All Pro with the Raiders during their glory years.

But it doesn't end there:

When the next draft came along the Cowboys did something in the 3rd riynd that they had never done before in any previous draft.

They drafted for need rather than the best available player. Due to the departure of Christiansen, they felt they needed another TE rather than the QB that was considered the remaining BAP. They felt they were set with Staubach, White, and Glen Carano.

So thet took Doug Cosbie and in doing so, passed over Joe Montana.

Two corrections - Christensen would have been third string behind DuPree and Jay Saldi - Fugett had left the Cowboys after the 1975 season, and was with the Commanders by this time. Also, Jimmy Smith first went to the Eagles, was cut, and then signed with the Jaguars, where he became their all time leading receiver.

The Cowboys also drafted E.J. Holub, who went on to star with the Chiefs at both LB and C. They also had Otis Taylor stolen from them by the Chiefs during the days of teams hiding players with babysitters during the AFL-NFL signing wars.

They also passed up drafting Paul Warfield back in 1964 by trading the selection to the Steelers for Buddy Dial, who was beset by leg problems in Dallas, and never resembled the terrific WR that he was in Pittsburgh.

Longboysfan · Apr 4, 2016

endersdragon said:
I know he hadn't played football for years... but considering he was obviously still physically fit it's amazing that Staubach who was still in his mid 20s was passed over 128 times...

Reminder: The Cowboys drafted Staubach as a future - after his Junior year.

dogunwo · Apr 4, 2016

Biggems said:
Didnt we steal half of minnesotas early 90s picks for 1 player......i would say all of those players belong on the list as a collective unit.

Dang, you must be young.

DWhite Fan · Apr 4, 2016

plasticman said:
Sorry, i cant consider a 2nd round draft pick to be a steal. We are talking about a player that is understood to be a top 50 college player in the nation.

And if you are going to call a 3rd round player a steal then you can certainly start with Jason Witten but it certainly doesnt end there:

Other 3rd round steals:

Harvey Martin: probably the Cowboys leading sacker before they were recorded, SB co-MVP

Charlie Waters, PRO Bowl safety

Danny White was drafted in the 3rd round in 1974 even though he played in the WFL for 2 years...

plasticman · Apr 4, 2016

Plankton said:
Two corrections - Christensen would have been third string behind DuPree and Jay Saldi - Fugett had left the Cowboys after the 1975 season, and was with the Commanders by this time. Also, Jimmy Smith first went to the Eagles, was cut, and then signed with the Jaguars, where he became their all time leading receiver.

The Cowboys also drafted E.J. Holub, who went on to star with the Chiefs at both LB and C. They also had Otis Taylor stolen from them by the Chiefs during the days of teams hiding players with babysitters during the AFL-NFL signing wars.

They also passed up drafting Paul Warfield back in 1964 by trading the selection to the Steelers for Buddy Dial, who was beset by leg problems in Dallas, and never resembled the terrific WR that he was in Pittsburgh.

Thank you for the corrections.

Here is another:

In 1985 the Cowboys had the 17th pick in the draft. They wrte enamored with an athletic WR from a small school and sure no other team was as aware of his potential.

They kept their fingers crossed an when it came to the Patriot pick at 16 they were sure they had their man. After all, the Patriots had Morgan Irving Fryar and Stanley Morgan.

However, the Patriots traded their pick to the 49ers who promtly picked the WR just in front of the Cowboys...one Jerry Rice.

Back to the victories:
The Cowboys were always innovative when it came to acquiring players througj through the draft.

They picked academy players and willingly waited for them to fullfill their military obligations.

They picked guys that had other commitments, taking controled risks that often paid off with guya like Staubach, Herschell Walker, Chad Hennings, Bob Hayes and others.

They drafted Olympic hurdler Carl Lewis in the 12th in 1984 but he wasnt interested.

Biggems · Apr 4, 2016

dogunwo said:
Dang, you must be young.

Probably much older than you

mrmojo · Apr 4, 2016

dogunwo said:
Dang, you must be young.

We now have a generation of Cowboy fans who have never seen the Cowboys in a SB much less an NFC Championship game....unbelievable.

big dog cowboy · Apr 4, 2016

plasticman said:
Then again, there are the ones that got away.

Don't forget the Jerry Rice story.

PJTHEDOORS · Apr 4, 2016

mrmojo said:
We now have a generation of Cowboy fans who have never seen the Cowboys in a SB much less an NFC Championship game....unbelievable.

Rather would have seen Mr Mojo live myself. lol.

mrmojo · Apr 4, 2016

PJTHEDOORS said:
Rather would have seen Mr Mojo live myself. lol.

Imagine...how great would that have been....Jim on one of his legendary nights.

silver · Apr 4, 2016

Here's my list as far as best steal by round:

1st round: Dez Bryant: 2010
2nd: Darren Woodson: 1992
3rd round: Harvey Martin 1973
4th round: Pat Donovan 1975
5th round: Herschel Walker 1985
6th round: D.D. Lewis 1968
7th round: Bob Hayes 1964
8th round: Kevin Gogan 1987
9th round: Garry Cobb 1979
10th round: Roger Staubach 1964
11th round: Jethro Pugh 1965
12th round: Larry Brown 1991
13th round: Herbert Scott 1975
14th round: Scott Laidlaw 1975
16th round: Larry Cole 1968

fgoodwin · Apr 5, 2016

CowboyFan74 said:
Dorsette?

Not sure how you can call Dorsett a draft "steal". We traded up to get him, and we drafted him #2 overall. He didn't cost as much as Walker cost the Vikings, but he didn't come cheap.

DFWJC · Apr 5, 2016

PJTHEDOORS said:
I put Larry Allen ahead of Erik Williams. For the total body of work of Allen vs Williams. Not even close. Yes Williams had the injury, but can't play the what if game.

LARRY ALLEN
11× Pro Bowl (1995–2001, 2003–2006)
7× All-Pro (1995–2001)
NFL 1990s All-Decade Team
NFL 2000s All-Decade Team
Dallas Cowboys Ring of Honor

ERIK WILLIAMS
4× Pro Bowl (1993, 1996, 1997, 1999)
3× All-Pro (1993, 1995, 1996)

Woody should be higher too.

News: DMN: The 10 greatest draft steals in Dallas Cowboys history

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