Cowboys Best/Worst 1st round picks. Ever

[john van brocklin]

Some are confusing jags with busts....there are enough busts like Bill Thomas, Kavika Pittman, Shante Carver, or David LeFleur. First rounders who did absolutely nothing. And i wouldn't list anyone who had their career cut short due to injury as a bust like Mike Sherrard, Billy Cannon Jr.. It was not due to talent or misevaluation. Just tough luck.

Lafleur actually looked good, but back injuries cut his career short.
Love talking old Cowboys with you old timers!

 

[T-RO]

Your reading comprehension problems are not my problem.

You made an outrageous claim, that the Cowboys destroyed Felix Jones w/mishandling. We are all eager for your reasoning, yet you repeatedly refuse to offer any at all.

 

[FaSho]

I wouldn't even put Mo in the top 10.

Ekuban should be there though!

 

[Jake]

I remember the TE. Not the other 2..

I remember Billy Cannon Jr. because he made the cover of Dallas Cowboys Weekly. In those days I couldn't wait for my weekly to arrive, I was in college by then and still a subscriber. In Ohio that was my only source of Cowboys news.

I had to look up Cowboys first round picks to find Bill Thomas. No one heard of that guy. 36 yards rushing his entire career?

 

[McKDaddy]

- “5,000 yrd passer” - Which the same could be said for several of the better 90’s QBs such as Favre, Marino, Peyton, Young, Kelly, Cunningham, Moon, Esiason, etc.
And Aikman played in the very same era with same game, same rules, etc. that could have launched much more gaudy passing numbers.

- “ WRs were not running wide open “ really ? … what do you think Jim Kelly’s K-gun, ..Warren Moon’s run and shoo ...Favre with Sharpe, Brooks, Driver, etc .
Vikes with Moss, Carter -Reed,... or Rams' Greatest Show on Turf were doing during that era ? ….

- And ironically speaking of Warner - Rams, more so, Jerry became so infatuated with Kurt Warner and Ram’s Greatest Show on Turf that he thought Aikman could do so
the same in the rhythm time based offense he’s always operated out of that he began trying to accumulating speed receivers (ala Joey Galloway, Rocket Ismail, James Williams) and thought
Cowboys could mimic Rams passing offense, Nope..

- And BTW, it’s a reason why YouTube highlights are called “ highlights” its gonna contain all the pluses .. a better, more fairer assessment is all 22 or full game tubes.

So you agree that Aikman could put up 5,000 yards (which only 8 QB's have ever achieved) but you say he wasn't elite. Doesn't seem to be consistent.

Aikman's receivers weren't running open. You don't need All 22 to see if the receiver is wide open or defender draped on them.

 

[TheSkaven]

Best:
☆Bob Lilly,DT '61

Worst:
☆Tody Smith,DE '71

Why is Tody Smith at the top of so many lists? He actually played decent when he wasn’t hurt, was a pick in the low 20’s (when there were less teams) and was traded for value.

Bobby Carpenter and Mo Claiborne are the two worst picks if you ask me. What did Barbie contribute of value? He’s the quintessential first round bust. He couldn’t even play well on special teams.

 

[cowboyec]

Why is Tody Smith at the top of so many lists? He actually played decent when he wasn’t hurt, was a pick in the low 20’s (when there were less teams) and was traded for value.

Bobby Carpenter and Mo Claiborne are the two worst picks if you ask me. What did Barbie contribute of value? He’s the quintessential first round bust. He couldn’t even play well on special teams.

I disagree about Claiborne.
5yrs...47 games played...started 43.
i'd take him over the other 2 you mentioned.
i don't remember tody smith doing anything here...even when healthy.

 

[ultron]

Barbie carpenter

 

[KB1122]

Tody Smith was a starter for the Oilers, including a 10-4 team that barely missed the playoffs. That moves him out of all-time bust territory. Also, he was part of the deal for the #1 pick that became Too Tall Jones.

 

[Jake]

Still haven't seen anything close to Bill Thomas. Carpenter? Claiborne? Not even close.

Thomas was such a bust most people here don't even know he existed. First round pick in 1972 with 36 yards rushing in his entire career, which didn't end because of injury. It ended because no one wanted him.

 

[Scotman]

Lafleur actually looked good, but back injuries cut his career short.
Love talking old Cowboys with you old timers!

I felt the same way. Seemed like a good player but couldn't get healthy enough to play. I don't hate on those guys. The ones that get me are the ones that just don't get it done...like Taco. He was a massive bust.

 

[Irse]

Who was worse, Kevin Brooks or Taco? Both from Michigan.

 

[KB1122]

One thing about the Bill Thomas bust ...... if the Cowboys had just re-negotiated with Duane Thomas after Super Bowl VI, instead of perpetuating the whole childish dispute and releasing him, and later pay Calvin Hill what he was worth, instead of losing him to the WFL, then they probably use those two running back first round picks on better players in other positions, and maybe they win Super Bowl X. Like, maybe Mark Washington wouldn't have been "covering" Lynn Swann, to name one thing.

 

[KB1122]

Taco was worse than Kevin Brooks, who became an adequate starter.

 

[KB1122]

The thing about Larry Bethea is that he was brought presumably to take over for Larry Cole. Then Too Tall goes to box, so the Cowboys bring in John Dutton. Then Too Tall comes back, and Dutton moves inside. So whatever his ability, he never had a great line to the starting lineup. I always thought he was OK as a situational pass rusher.

 

[cowboyec]

Who was worse, Kevin Brooks or Taco? Both from Michigan.

taco.

 

[quickccc]

So you agree that Aikman could put up 5,000 yards (which only 8 QB's have ever achieved) but you say he wasn't elite. Doesn't seem to be consistent.

Aikman's receivers weren't running open. You don't need All 22 to see if the receiver is wide open or defender draped on them.

dont recall sayin' that about Aikman himself (putting up 5,000) - Jerry tried him with a Greatest Show on Turf mimic, which was laughable as he
is not the progression type on that level. If anything in the right matter we couldve been more the Trent Green- Gonzalez- Larry Johnson KC Chiefs rhythm time based offense. Still heavily predicated on a power run game while attributing a vertical pass game in

Trent Green wasn't record setting or elite QB by himself - but enough of his contribution added to make that Chiefs offense tops in the NFL at that time. It's a difference.

Aikman wasn't ever gonna be Warner, Marino, Kelly, etc rapid " WRs running free wild " of offense approach
..not that kind of QB.. imo. But feel free to express how you feel differently

 

[Reid1boys]

Why is Roy Williams (WR) and Joey Galloway not on this list for worst 1st rounders?

The Cowboys didn't draft either of those players.

 

[conner01]

And Dak makes more money than all of them.....

A 7th round pick make more than a pro bowler made in the 70’s
That’s not about talent but just the cost of everything will always go up over time

 

[conner01]

dont recall sayin' that about Aikman himself (putting up 5,000) - Jerry tried him with a Greatest Show on Turf mimic, which was laughable as he
is not the progression type on that level. If anything in the right matter we couldve been more the Trent Green- Gonzalez- Larry Johnson KC Chiefs rhythm time based offense. Still heavily predicated on a power run game while attributing a vertical pass game in

Trent Green wasn't record setting or elite QB by himself - but enough of his contribution added to make that Chiefs offense tops in the NFL at that time. It's a difference.

Aikman wasn't ever gonna be Warner, Marino, Kelly, etc rapid " WRs running free wild " of offense approach
..not that kind of QB.. imo. But feel free to express how you feel differently

Troy played to win, not for stats