CFZ Best Drafts in Cowboys History

[gtb1943]

I should have mentioned in the OP that in my book, one of the first things I look at to judge a draft is what kind of impact did it have in terms of playoff wins. Which is why as good as the 2005 draft was, IMO, it cannot make the top 5 because as great as DeMarcus Ware and Marcus Spears were, they did not have a great playoff run.

Frankly I cannot agree with the idea that playoff success is how you rank a draft.
There are SO many factors involved in playoff success besides that one draft.
You rank a draft on what the players YOU chose did while on that team. NOTHING ELSE.

 

[gtb1943]

Don't forget Super Bowl XXX MVP Larry Brown who was drafted in the 12th round in 1991 and had two interceptions of Steelers QB Neil O'Donell.

while he certainly parlayed that into some serious money in FA, ANYONE could have caught those pics. THEY WERE RIGHT TO HIM.

What else did he do? No, I cannot rank him as worthy of much notice due to only one game where he really did not do much but catch a ball thrown right to him.

 

[Bobhaze]

Frankly I cannot agree with the idea that playoff success is how you rank a draft.
There are SO many factors involved in playoff success besides that one draft.
You rank a draft on what the players YOU chose did while on that team. NOTHING ELSE.

That’s why we have a great opinion forum here!

 

[Bobhaze]

Don't forget Super Bowl XXX MVP Larry Brown who was drafted in the 12th round in 1991 and had two interceptions of Steelers QB Neil O'Donell.

Thank you. Should have caught that!

 

[morasp]

while he certainly parlayed that into some serious money in FA, ANYONE could have caught those pics. THEY WERE RIGHT TO HIM.

What else did he do? No, I cannot rank him as worthy of much notice due to only one game where he really did not do much but catch a ball thrown right to him.

Good one, I usually try not to let people goad me into looking stuff up but I already had this open so here you go.

In 1993, he recorded 63 tackles and 11 passes defensed (tied for second on the team). In 1994, he tallied 57 tackles, 4 interceptions (third on the team) and 12 passes defensed (tied for third on the team). The 1995 season would be a great season for Brown, recording six interceptions, returning two of them for touchdowns and recording 47 tackles, en route to the Cowboys reaching and winning Super Bowl XXX, in which he earned MVP honors with two second half interceptions, which the Cowboys converted into two touchdowns to prevent a Steelers comeback.[3]

 

[OmerV]

The Cowboys have a great overall draft history. Some of the best drafts in NFL history were by the Cowboys.
Here are the 3 BEST drafts IMO:

• The 1964 Draft- easily the greatest draft in Cowboys history and one of the greatest in NFL history. A whopping 3 HOFers were in this draft. Here are some of the picks:
  • HOF CB Mel Renfro- taken in round 2. Played in 3 SBs and was a 10 time pro bowler in his 14 seasons. One of the greatest athletes in Cowboys history. A great return man as well as DB.
  • HOF WR Bob Hayes- a 7th round pick because most people thought he was just a track guy who was a gold medalist in the 100 meters in the 64 Olympics. He proved immediately in his rookie year he belonged scoring 13 TDs in one of the greatest rookie seasons in NFL history. His speed was responsible for changing the game forcing defenses to use zone coverages.
  • HOF QB Roger Staubach- because Roger had to serve a 5 year military commitment, Roger slid to the 12th round! He was not able to play until 1969 when he played as a 28 year old rookie. The greatest Cowboy played eleven seasons and won 12 playoff games including 4 NFC championships and 2 SBs.

• The 1989 draft- The first draft of the Jerry Jones era kickstarted the team toward its dominant SB run of the 90s. Jimmy Johnson was an excellent talent evaluator and this draft was his first. Several key players in the 90s run were from the ‘89 draft.
  • HOF QB Troy Aikman (the last QB the Cowboys drafted in round one) Troy won 11 playoff games, 3 NFC championships and 3 SBs. Arguably the most accurate passer to play QB.
  • Darryl “Moose” Johnston- taken in round 2, Moose became a key component to Cowboys success as a blocker for Emmitt Smith and a solid receiver out of the backfield. Also was a STs monster on punt coverage too.
  • Center Mark Stepnoski- also taken in round 2, Step became the anchor of the greatest OL to lace em up. Although undersized he used his intelligence and quickness to master the position.
  • DE Tony Tolbert- a 4th round pick from UTEP, Tolbert became an excellent pass rusher opposite HOFer Charles Haley, making the Cowboys pass rush deadly in their 90s run.

• The 1991 Draft- Jimmy Johnson once again hit on a great draft with several key players in the 90s SB run:
  • DT Russell Maryland- the first overall pick in the draft that year, Maryland became the inside anchor of a dominant DL that included Charles Haley, Tony Tolbert and Chad Hennings.
  • WR Alvin Harper- taken in 2nd round, Harper became an immediate impact player opposite HOF WR Michael Irvin. Harper made tons of big plays in playoff games.
  • OT Erik Williams- a third rounder who became an absolute beast at RT and a favorite of the late great John Madden. A car accident shortened what would have been a HOF career.
  • DT Leon Lett- a 7th round gem, Lett was a physically dominant DT who is famous for his good and bad plays. Lett has gone on to be an assistant coach for the Cowboys.

Here’s hoping the 2023 draft will become one of the best drafts we’ve had and propels us to a SB run.

Don't forget the 1991 draft also included Super Bowl MVP Larry Brown

Honorable Mention
1975: Randy White, Hollywood Henderson, Bob Bruenig, Pat Donovan & Herb Scott

Nice research and post by the way ....

 

[Hawkeye0202]

Then you had #2 Tony Mandarich,

Interestingly, we didn't hear/read anything about his steroid use coming up to the draft. Of course, we didn't have social media then either.

 

[eromeopolk]

The Cowboys have a great overall draft history. Some of the best drafts in NFL history were by the Cowboys.
Here are the 3 BEST drafts IMO:

• The 1964 Draft- easily the greatest draft in Cowboys history and one of the greatest in NFL history. A whopping 3 HOFers were in this draft. Here are some of the picks:
  • HOF CB Mel Renfro- taken in round 2. Played in 3 SBs and was a 10 time pro bowler in his 14 seasons. One of the greatest athletes in Cowboys history. A great return man as well as DB.
  • HOF WR Bob Hayes- a 7th round pick because most people thought he was just a track guy who was a gold medalist in the 100 meters in the 64 Olympics. He proved immediately in his rookie year he belonged scoring 13 TDs in one of the greatest rookie seasons in NFL history. His speed was responsible for changing the game forcing defenses to use zone coverages.
  • HOF QB Roger Staubach- because Roger had to serve a 5 year military commitment, Roger slid to the 12th round! He was not able to play until 1969 when he played as a 28 year old rookie. The greatest Cowboy played eleven seasons and won 12 playoff games including 4 NFC championships and 2 SBs.

• The 1989 draft- The first draft of the Jerry Jones era kickstarted the team toward its dominant SB run of the 90s. Jimmy Johnson was an excellent talent evaluator and this draft was his first. Several key players in the 90s run were from the ‘89 draft.
  • HOF QB Troy Aikman (the last QB the Cowboys drafted in round one) Troy won 11 playoff games, 3 NFC championships and 3 SBs. Arguably the most accurate passer to play QB.
  • Darryl “Moose” Johnston- taken in round 2, Moose became a key component to Cowboys success as a blocker for Emmitt Smith and a solid receiver out of the backfield. Also was a STs monster on punt coverage too.
  • Center Mark Stepnoski- also taken in round 2, Step became the anchor of the greatest OL to lace em up. Although undersized he used his intelligence and quickness to master the position.
  • DE Tony Tolbert- a 4th round pick from UTEP, Tolbert became an excellent pass rusher opposite HOFer Charles Haley, making the Cowboys pass rush deadly in their 90s run.

• The 1991 Draft- Jimmy Johnson once again hit on a great draft with several key players in the 90s SB run:
  • DT Russell Maryland- the first overall pick in the draft that year, Maryland became the inside anchor of a dominant DL that included Charles Haley, Tony Tolbert and Chad Hennings.
  • WR Alvin Harper- taken in 2nd round, Harper became an immediate impact player opposite HOF WR Michael Irvin. Harper made tons of big plays in playoff games.
  • OT Erik Williams- a third rounder who became an absolute beast at RT and a favorite of the late great John Madden. A car accident shortened what would have been a HOF career.
  • DT Leon Lett- a 7th round gem, Lett was a physically dominant DT who is famous for his good and bad plays. Lett has gone on to be an assistant coach for the Cowboys.

Here’s hoping the 2023 draft will become one of the best drafts we’ve had and propels us to a SB run.

First any draft that gives you a Hall of Fame Player is a great draft. Also you have to consider drafted players that played a solid 3-5 years in solid team roles, all Pro Bowlers, and even GM/HC mess ups that allowed solid and sometimes Pro Bowl players get away. Using the 3 year draft rule, I stopped at 2020. So add these drafts..
1961 - Bob Lilly (HOF), EJ Hulob (Chiefs), Stew Barber (Bills), and Billy Shaw (Bills)
1966 - John Niland, Walt Garrison (real Cowboy and FB) 1966 was Cowboys 1st winning season.
1967 - Rayfield Wright (HOF), and Pat Riley (yes that Pat Riley).
1968 - Blaine Nye, DD Lewis, and Larry Cole
1970 - Duane Thomas, Charlie Waters, John Fitzgerald, Pat Toomay, Mark Washington (had a bad day in the wrong game).
1973 - Billy Joe Dupree, Golden Richards, Harvey Martin (should be in the HOF)
1974 - Ed Jones, Danny White
1975 - Randy White (HOF), Hollywood Henderson, Burton Lawless (All Rookie), Bob Breunig, Pat Donovan, Mike Hegman, Herb Scott, Scott Laidlaw,
1977 - Tony Dorsett (HOF), Glenn Carano, Tony Hill, Jim Cooper, Steve Deberg (Mr. HOF QB back up Joe Montana, John Elway, and Dan Marino)
1988 - Michael Irvin (HOF), Ken Norton Jr., Chad Hennings
1990 - Emmitt Smith (HOF), Jimmie Jones, Kenny Gant
1992 - Kevin Smith, Robert Jones, Jimmy Smith (Jags), Darren Woodson (should be in the HOF)
1993 - Kevin Williams, Darrin Smith, Ron Stone (Giants), Brock Marion, Dave Thomas (Jags)
1995 - Larry Allen (HOF), Willie Jackson
2002 - Roy Williams, Andre Gurode, Antonio Bryant (Cowboys/Bucs), Pete Hunter (Seahawks)
2003 - Terrence Newman, Jason Witten (future HOF), Bradie James
2005 - Demarcus Ware (HOF), Marcus Spears, Kevin Burnett, Marion Barber, Chris Canty, Jay Ratliff
2010 - Dez Bryant, Sean Lee, Sean Lessimore (Chargers)
2011 - Tyron Smith (future HOF), Demarco Murray, Dwayne Harris
2014 - Zach Martin (future HOF), Demarcus Lawrence, Anthony Hitchens, Terrence Mitchell
2015 - Byron Jones, Randy Gregory, Damien Wilson, Mark Nzeocha, Geoff Swaim
2016 - Ezekiel Elliott, Mark Collins, Dak Prescott, Anthony Brown
2018 - Leighton Vander Esch, Connor Williams, Dalton Schultz, Cedrick Wilson
2019 - Connor McGovern, Tony Pollard, Donovan Wilson
2020 - CeeDee Lamb, Trevon Diggs, Tyler Biadasz

This proves my point that it is not the players fault nor the Vice President of Player Personnel/Director of College Scouting Will McClays fault that the Cowboys have not gone to a NFC Championship game in 27 years. It is the Owner, GM, and HC fault all happen to be the same person Jerry Dumbo GM Jones.

 

[Scotman]

Frankly I cannot agree with the idea that playoff success is how you rank a draft.
There are SO many factors involved in playoff success besides that one draft.
You rank a draft on what the players YOU chose did while on that team. NOTHING ELSE.

I completely disagree. There's something "extra" about a collection of players that are able to come together enough to win a championship that separates them from the great players that never get there. So, while I understand what you're saying, it's really just a different way of ranking the drafts.

It really sounds like you need to do a similar write-up to the OP did and present it on its own merit.

 

[blueblood70]

The Cowboys have a great overall draft history. Some of the best drafts in NFL history were by the Cowboys.
Here are the 3 BEST drafts IMO:

• The 1964 Draft- easily the greatest draft in Cowboys history and one of the greatest in NFL history. A whopping 3 HOFers were in this draft. Here are some of the picks:
  • HOF CB Mel Renfro- taken in round 2. Played in 3 SBs and was a 10 time pro bowler in his 14 seasons. One of the greatest athletes in Cowboys history. A great return man as well as DB.
  • HOF WR Bob Hayes- a 7th round pick because most people thought he was just a track guy who was a gold medalist in the 100 meters in the 64 Olympics. He proved immediately in his rookie year he belonged scoring 13 TDs in one of the greatest rookie seasons in NFL history. His speed was responsible for changing the game forcing defenses to use zone coverages.
  • HOF QB Roger Staubach- because Roger had to serve a 5 year military commitment, Roger slid to the 12th round! He was not able to play until 1969 when he played as a 28 year old rookie. The greatest Cowboy played eleven seasons and won 12 playoff games including 4 NFC championships and 2 SBs.

• The 1989 draft- The first draft of the Jerry Jones era kickstarted the team toward its dominant SB run of the 90s. Jimmy Johnson was an excellent talent evaluator and this draft was his first. Several key players in the 90s run were from the ‘89 draft.
  • HOF QB Troy Aikman (the last QB the Cowboys drafted in round one) Troy won 11 playoff games, 3 NFC championships and 3 SBs. Arguably the most accurate passer to play QB.
  • Darryl “Moose” Johnston- taken in round 2, Moose became a key component to Cowboys success as a blocker for Emmitt Smith and a solid receiver out of the backfield. Also was a STs monster on punt coverage too.
  • Center Mark Stepnoski- also taken in round 2, Step became the anchor of the greatest OL to lace em up. Although undersized he used his intelligence and quickness to master the position.
  • DE Tony Tolbert- a 4th round pick from UTEP, Tolbert became an excellent pass rusher opposite HOFer Charles Haley, making the Cowboys pass rush deadly in their 90s run.

• The 1991 Draft- Jimmy Johnson once again hit on a great draft with several key players in the 90s SB run:
  • DT Russell Maryland- the first overall pick in the draft that year, Maryland became the inside anchor of a dominant DL that included Charles Haley, Tony Tolbert and Chad Hennings.
  • WR Alvin Harper- taken in 2nd round, Harper became an immediate impact player opposite HOF WR Michael Irvin. Harper made tons of big plays in playoff games.
  • OT Erik Williams- a third rounder who became an absolute beast at RT and a favorite of the late great John Madden. A car accident shortened what would have been a HOF career.
  • DT Leon Lett- a 7th round gem, Lett was a physically dominant DT who is famous for his good and bad plays. Lett has gone on to be an assistant coach for the Cowboys.

Here’s hoping the 2023 draft will become one of the best drafts we’ve had and propels us to a SB run.

nah 2009 is for sure tops...

 

[joseephuss]

This proves my point that it is not the players fault nor the Vice President of Player Personnel/Director of College Scouting Will McClays fault that the Cowboys have not gone to a NFC Championship game in 27 years. It is the Owner, GM, and HC fault all happen to be the same person Jerry Dumbo GM Jones.

Jerry deserves plenty of criticism, but he doesn't pretend to be the HC. He does limit the abilities of the HC.

1984 draft 12th round Carl Lewis

 

[blueblood70]

while he certainly parlayed that into some serious money in FA, ANYONE could have caught those pics. THEY WERE RIGHT TO HIM.

What else did he do? No, I cannot rank him as worthy of much notice due to only one game where he really did not do much but catch a ball thrown right to him.

too bad Diggs didnt catch those late seasons and the 9er INTs, seemingly right to him,..i get your point Larry and Kevins while solid were about on par with Brown and lewis level, solid but not special. they did their part on what was a special front 7 that made its easy to defnd the backend

 

[quickccc]

The Cowboys have a great overall draft history. Some of the best drafts in NFL history were by the Cowboys.
Here are the 3 BEST drafts IMO:

• The 1964 Draft- easily the greatest draft in Cowboys history and one of the greatest in NFL history. A whopping 3 HOFers were in this draft. Here are some of the picks:
  • HOF CB Mel Renfro- taken in round 2. Played in 3 SBs and was a 10 time pro bowler in his 14 seasons. One of the greatest athletes in Cowboys history. A great return man as well as DB.
  • HOF WR Bob Hayes- a 7th round pick because most people thought he was just a track guy who was a gold medalist in the 100 meters in the 64 Olympics. He proved immediately in his rookie year he belonged scoring 13 TDs in one of the greatest rookie seasons in NFL history. His speed was responsible for changing the game forcing defenses to use zone coverages.
  • HOF QB Roger Staubach- because Roger had to serve a 5 year military commitment, Roger slid to the 12th round! He was not able to play until 1969 when he played as a 28 year old rookie. The greatest Cowboy played eleven seasons and won 12 playoff games including 4 NFC championships and 2 SBs.

• The 1989 draft- The first draft of the Jerry Jones era kickstarted the team toward its dominant SB run of the 90s. Jimmy Johnson was an excellent talent evaluator and this draft was his first. Several key players in the 90s run were from the ‘89 draft.
  • HOF QB Troy Aikman (the last QB the Cowboys drafted in round one) Troy won 11 playoff games, 3 NFC championships and 3 SBs. Arguably the most accurate passer to play QB.
  • Darryl “Moose” Johnston- taken in round 2, Moose became a key component to Cowboys success as a blocker for Emmitt Smith and a solid receiver out of the backfield. Also was a STs monster on punt coverage too.
  • Center Mark Stepnoski- also taken in round 2, Step became the anchor of the greatest OL to lace em up. Although undersized he used his intelligence and quickness to master the position.
  • DE Tony Tolbert- a 4th round pick from UTEP, Tolbert became an excellent pass rusher opposite HOFer Charles Haley, making the Cowboys pass rush deadly in their 90s run.

• The 1991 Draft- Jimmy Johnson once again hit on a great draft with several key players in the 90s SB run:
  • DT Russell Maryland- the first overall pick in the draft that year, Maryland became the inside anchor of a dominant DL that included Charles Haley, Tony Tolbert and Chad Hennings.
  • WR Alvin Harper- taken in 2nd round, Harper became an immediate impact player opposite HOF WR Michael Irvin. Harper made tons of big plays in playoff games.
  • OT Erik Williams- a third rounder who became an absolute beast at RT and a favorite of the late great John Madden. A car accident shortened what would have been a HOF career.
  • DT Leon Lett- a 7th round gem, Lett was a physically dominant DT who is famous for his good and bad plays. Lett has gone on to be an assistant coach for the Cowboys.

Here’s hoping the 2023 draft will become one of the best drafts we’ve had and propels us to a SB run.

Hmm, no Tony Casillas in that DT group ?... Did we sign Casillas as a FA, or did we trade for him ? (after his exit from ATL)

I did regret not getting Rocket Ismail instead of Russell Maryland, but if Rocket at the time, did not want to be here (chose Canada instead, Go figure)
ironically before Irvin got hurt en route to retirement, we eventually acquired the Rocket.who proved not a featured type, but would have been a great sidekick to Irvin, post-Harper.

 

[quickccc]

The Cowboys have a great overall draft history. Some of the best drafts in NFL history were by the Cowboys.
Here are the 3 BEST drafts IMO:

• The 1964 Draft- easily the greatest draft in Cowboys history and one of the greatest in NFL history. A whopping 3 HOFers were in this draft. Here are some of the picks:
  • HOF CB Mel Renfro- taken in round 2. Played in 3 SBs and was a 10 time pro bowler in his 14 seasons. One of the greatest athletes in Cowboys history. A great return man as well as DB.
  • HOF WR Bob Hayes- a 7th round pick because most people thought he was just a track guy who was a gold medalist in the 100 meters in the 64 Olympics. He proved immediately in his rookie year he belonged scoring 13 TDs in one of the greatest rookie seasons in NFL history. His speed was responsible for changing the game forcing defenses to use zone coverages.
  • HOF QB Roger Staubach- because Roger had to serve a 5 year military commitment, Roger slid to the 12th round! He was not able to play until 1969 when he played as a 28 year old rookie. The greatest Cowboy played eleven seasons and won 12 playoff games including 4 NFC championships and 2 SBs.

• The 1989 draft- The first draft of the Jerry Jones era kickstarted the team toward its dominant SB run of the 90s. Jimmy Johnson was an excellent talent evaluator and this draft was his first. Several key players in the 90s run were from the ‘89 draft.
  • HOF QB Troy Aikman (the last QB the Cowboys drafted in round one) Troy won 11 playoff games, 3 NFC championships and 3 SBs. Arguably the most accurate passer to play QB.
  • Darryl “Moose” Johnston- taken in round 2, Moose became a key component to Cowboys success as a blocker for Emmitt Smith and a solid receiver out of the backfield. Also was a STs monster on punt coverage too.
  • Center Mark Stepnoski- also taken in round 2, Step became the anchor of the greatest OL to lace em up. Although undersized he used his intelligence and quickness to master the position.
  • DE Tony Tolbert- a 4th round pick from UTEP, Tolbert became an excellent pass rusher opposite HOFer Charles Haley, making the Cowboys pass rush deadly in their 90s run.

• The 1991 Draft- Jimmy Johnson once again hit on a great draft with several key players in the 90s SB run:
  • DT Russell Maryland- the first overall pick in the draft that year, Maryland became the inside anchor of a dominant DL that included Charles Haley, Tony Tolbert and Chad Hennings.
  • WR Alvin Harper- taken in 2nd round, Harper became an immediate impact player opposite HOF WR Michael Irvin. Harper made tons of big plays in playoff games.
  • OT Erik Williams- a third rounder who became an absolute beast at RT and a favorite of the late great John Madden. A car accident shortened what would have been a HOF career.
  • DT Leon Lett- a 7th round gem, Lett was a physically dominant DT who is famous for his good and bad plays. Lett has gone on to be an assistant coach for the Cowboys.

Here’s hoping the 2023 draft will become one of the best drafts we’ve had and propels us to a SB run.

Dallas Cowboys All Time NFL Draft History

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/dal/draft.htm

 

[big dog cowboy]

I should have mentioned in the OP that in my book, one of the first things I look at to judge a draft is what kind of impact did it have in terms of playoff wins. Which is why as good as the 2005 draft was, IMO, it cannot make the top 5 because as great as DeMarcus Ware and Marcus Spears were, they did not have a great playoff run.

In that case, the 1985 draft needs on your list. In the 5th round with the 2nd pick the Dallas Cowboys selected....Herschel Walker.

That pick (plus Jimmy Johnson) led the Cowboys to 3 Super Bowl wins.

 

[Bobhaze]

Hmm, no Tony Casillas in that DT group ?... Did we sign Casillas as a FA, or did we trade for him ? (after his exit from ATL)

I did regret not getting Rocket Ismail instead of Russell Maryland, but if Rocket at the time, did not want to be here (chose Canada instead, Go figure)
ironically before Irvin got hurt en route to retirement, we eventually acquired the Rocket.who proved not a featured type, but would have been a great sidekick to Irvin, post-Harper.

I didn’t include Casillas only because we didn’t draft him. He was certainly a big contributor from 91-94.

 

[RayA]

Instead of drafting Zeke in the 1st and Smith in the 2nd of the 2016 draft, how much better would this team could have been if we drafted Ramsey in the 1st and Henry in the 2nd.

 

[Miller]

Good one, I usually try not to let people goad me into looking stuff up but I already had this open so here you go.

In 1993, he recorded 63 tackles and 11 passes defensed (tied for second on the team). In 1994, he tallied 57 tackles, 4 interceptions (third on the team) and 12 passes defensed (tied for third on the team). The 1995 season would be a great season for Brown, recording six interceptions, returning two of them for touchdowns and recording 47 tackles, en route to the Cowboys reaching and winning Super Bowl XXX, in which he earned MVP honors with two second half interceptions, which the Cowboys converted into two touchdowns to prevent a Steelers comeback.[3]

Thanks for brining this up. He was a solid starter for a 12th rounder....and a TCU guy. Got my pic with him at a game one time in a player alumni box.

 

[Creeper]

With all due respect, the 1975 draft was the best in Cowboys history, IMO.

Just look at the top 7 rounds, to make is a fair comparison to the more recent drafts.

1. Randy White - DT - No explanation needed. All-Pro, HOF.
1. Thomas Henderson - LB - Changed the game. He was LT before LT. Henderson may have been better than LT had he not gone off the rails.
2. Burton Lawless - OG - Started as a rookie. Made the All-Rookie team. He was replaced by Herb Scott, also drafted in 1975 in the 13th round.
3. Bob Breunig - LB - He was a four-time team captain, a three-time Pro Bowler, a second-team All-Pro and a four-time All-NFC selection. At one point started 117 consecutive games.
4. Pat Donovan - OT - He was drafted as a DE and converted to OT. Donovan made 4 pro-bowls as an OT.
4. Randy Hughes - DB - Played 6 seasons for Dallas. Tied a record for 3 INTs in 3 consecutive playoff games.
5. Kyle Davis - C - Okay, can't win them all!
6. Roland Woolsey - DB - He made the team in 1975 but was selected in the expansion draft off the Cowboys roster in 1976. Just a special teams player really.
7. Mike Hegman - LB - He played for 12 years and started 116 games. He backed up Hollywood Henderson for a few years then suffered a few bad injuries to curtain his playing time. Still, he was a decent player for a long time.

The 1975 team won a Super Bowl and these draftees made a difference. The other drafts you listed are quality drafts but for quality and quantity of players, the 1975 draft was, IMHO, the best draft in Cowboys history.

 

[quickccc]

I didn’t include Casillas only because we didn’t draft him. He was certainly a big contributor from 91-94.

We didn't draft Charles Haley either, (trade) but i noticed he was listed among that 90's front line in the post.