CFZ Dallas Cowboys All Time Position Rankings

[dfense]

I see some recency bias in places with that list.

As Regards QBS:

ROGER
TROY
DON
TONY
DANNY

RBs
EMMITT
TONY
DUANE THOMAS
CALVIN HILL
DELMARCO MURRAY/ZEKE (TIE)

FBs
MOOSE
WALT GARRSION
DON PERKINS
ROBERT HEWHOUSE
RON SPRINGS

TEs

WITTEN
DITKA
NOVACEK
DUPREE
COSBIE

WRS
BULLET
IRVIN
PEARSON
TO
TONY HILL

TACKLES
RAYFIELD WRIGHT
ERIC WILLIAMS
TYRON SMITH
TUINIEI
DONOVAN

GUARDS
LA
MARTIN
NEWTON
NILAND
SCOTT

CENTERS
FREDRICK
STEPNOSKI
FITZGERALD
DONALDSON
GURODE



DE's
HARVEY MARTIN
CHARLES HALEY
TOO TALL
GEORGE ANDRIE
JIM JEFFCOAT

DTs
BOB LILLY
MANSTER
JETHRO PUGH
GLOVER
LETT

MLBs
Lee Roy Jordan
Ken Norton
Dat
Breunig
Lee

OLBS
De Ware
Howley
Hollywood
Parsons
Coakley

CBs
Deion
Mel Renfro
Walls
Adderly
Newman

Safeties
Cliff Harris
Woodson
Charlie Waters
Brock Marion
Roy Williams

Kickers and Punters I could care less

Coaches
Landry
Jimmy
BP
Chan Gailey
MM

I loved Norton, he was physical at the point of attack and was stout. But he couldn't read and react like Lee or even Dat for that matter. Norton would be 4th or 5th for me.

 

[cowboybish]

It’s a solid list except Dak is better than Romo and TO IMO, is one of the best of all time. I’d have TO as #2 or #1….I have a Irvin bias though.

If you gave me the choice between prime Tony Romo and Dak Prescott with the current 2023 team, I will take Romo all day long

 

[lukemartin79]

Excellent list - you really did your homework. Great off-season topic too. Those are definitely the top 5 QBs, everyone will have their own order - but those are the 5 for sure. I'd make one change at RB - I'd go with Marion the Barbarian over Walker. Walker was so huge in setting up those great 90s teams, but as a trade chip. Barber was the better RB for Dallas. I'd also go with Tony Hill over TO at WR. Hill has to be top 5, since he is #3 receiving yards and #5 in TDs in Cowboy receiving history. TO was great, just not here long enough.
On defense - while Haley was so important for those great 90s teams, Too Tall and Martin have to be the top 2 DEs and Larry Cole is top 5. At DT, Jethro Pugh has to be in there. At OLB, Greg Ellis has to be there in place of Hollywood. Since you put Norton, Jr. at MLB, where he had his best season, I put Ellis at OLB - where he had his best season. Norton Jr played as much OLB and Ellis spent more years at DE - so wasn't sure which position to list them at. DD Lewis could be in there at OLB if some think Parsons is too early in his career to be top 5 yet. I would put Michael Downs at S instead of Brock Marion too.
Great list, so unbelievably thorough. Well done, enjoyed this thread more than any since Ive been on this forum. Fun trip down memory lane- thank you.

 

[Bigrandrn]

Now thats a good list ..... I hate that I cannot put Kevin Smith on the CB lists ...... but all those guys better.

Yeah, KS was quite good, damn Achilles

 

[lukemartin79]

Now thats a good list ..... I hate that I cannot put Kevin Smith on the CB lists ...... but all those guys better.

I thought of both Kevin Smith and Terrance Newman at CB, but like you said - those 5 were better. Only way to do so is if some feel Diggs career hasn't been long enough to be top 5 - then it would be either Smith or Newman for than final spot.

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

If you gave me the choice between prime Tony Romo and Dak Prescott with the current 2023 team, I will take Romo all day long

I know. Its people who will take Romo over Aikman and Roger.....I know we got some delusional people around here its ok lol.

 

[lukemartin79]

Danny was a darn good QB.

Yes he was and a humble guy too. I loved it when our QB stayed on to punt too when I was a kid- Cowboys were the only team that did that.

 

[lukemartin79]

I assumed it was their overall careers. Because to me Everson Walls had a better Cowboy career than Deion had. Harvey Martin had a better Cowboys career than Haley had as well.

And I completely missed Garrett over Mike. Yeah I got Mike way over Garrett.

Agreed, if its based on their careers in a Cowboy uniform - the top 2 DEs are Too Tall and Martin.

 

[lukemartin79]

It seems like Dandy Don is always forgotten. Probably because not too many here remember him playing. I don't even remember him playing but I sure remember him on MNF. What a great personality he was. Still miss him. And he played for some of the worse Cowboy teams ever in the beginning too. Danny was my guy. Always underrated by Cowboy fans. It was going to be hard for any QB come in and replace Roger. If only the catch never happened I think we would have won the SB that year. The Cowboys have been lucky when it came to QBs.

I loved Danny White too, he was my QB as well. I will never get over THE CATCH that prevented White from getting to a Super Bowl. I was too young to remember much at all of Roger. It is never fair and always impossible to come right after a legend like White did. You never get the credit for what you were, always the blame for not being like the other guy.

 

[lukemartin79]

I like the list, think you're spot on for a lot of these positions.

QB: Torn on this one but would put Danny White at 3 simply because he made it further in the playoffs. Romo and Dak have had a similar career trajectory, hopefully Dak can one day take over the #3 spot.
LT: Flip Tyron and Erik Williams
DE: I would take off Lawrence and plug in George Andrie. I don't know that Haley would be #1 but definitely on the list.
DT: Take Leon Lett off and replace with Jethro Pugh.
MLB: Add Eugene Lockhardt, drop Robert Jones. The last spot would go with Bob or Dat
OLB: DD Lewis before Henderson. I can't put Parsons at 2 yet, but would include him.
CB: Would put Terrance Newman ahead of Diggs. Diggs will probably end up being better, but think he has more to prove.
SS: I would slide Waters up to 3. I think Michael Downs could make a case over Brock Marion.

You and I have many of the same changes. This guy made a great list. On offense, I only changed Marion Barber for Walker at RB, and Tony Hill has to be there at WR. On defense you and I are on the same page. I agree with you with Pugh for Lett at DT. At DE, Too Tall and Martin are definitely the top 2. Andrie and Larry Cole are ahead of D- Law at DE. I drop Jones at MLB too, and thought of Lockhart and Bradie James. At OLB, I also drop Hollywood Henderson for Greg Ellis. My next choice was DD Lewis, both ahead of Hollywood. I also drop Diggs at CB - too few years yet. I thought of either Newman or Kevin Smith instead. At Safety, I do go Downs over Marion. Woodson, Waters and Harris are the Top 3 Safties definitely.

 

[Jarv]

I'm hoping those like:

@Bobhaze

@plasticman

..can enlighten me about the old school guys with impressive all star credentials like Ralph Neely, ..Jethro Pugh .. George Andres even the Herb Adderly and Cornell Green.

Thanks, I was schrolling through the post looking for Jethro Pugh, no way Leon Lett is on that list and Jethro isn't....Even tho jerry kramer blocked him for that QB sneak in the ice bowl sealing the Packers victory.

 

[PAPPYDOG]

I know. Its people who will take Romo over Aikman and Roger.....I know we got some delusional people around here its ok lol.

Who, please dare and post names?
With proof, not things that come out of your.......you get the idea.
P.S. Only a very delusional Cowboy fan (Like you Dak lovers) would ever put Romo above Troy or Roger.

 

[Creeper]

Per myself, since i've never seen the Butkus, Nitske, Huffs and even Lilly's actually play the game up front before my very eyes, ..i have only to go off hear-say, and You Tube and NFL film highlights and their respective reputations .

And these are only the guys aforementioned in your post. Ditto with the Jim Brown, OJ Simpson, Gale Sayers, Deacon Jones, etc, ) .and only limited resources

Those aforementioned guys were way before my time, and I myself by most accounts, like and prefer to compare and rank according to those players I've seen personally play the game
at some earlier points. .

Now oh thank the heavens for the advancement of YouTube whereas nowadays we can view back more highlight and " occasional " full reel game time,.. but that's still rare games, and not
a series of games and seasons, as we have available for the Emmitts, Zekes, Walkers, etc.

I'd like to say I am fortunate enough to be old enough to have seen them play, not Huff so much, but definitely Butkus, Nitschke, OJ, Sayers, etc. but being old sucks!

But people my age got to see Jack and Tiger play in their prime. We saw Wilt and Bill Russell. We saw Mickey Mantle, Willie Mays, Roger Maris and some of the greats in baseball. We say some of the best play football. But you younger guys will see the next great players when we old crows are gone. Needless to say it has been a golden age and will continue to be one I think.

 

[RonnieT24]

If you gave me the choice between prime Tony Romo and Dak Prescott with the current 2023 team, I will take Romo all day long

Maybe 34-36 year old fully developed Jedi Romo .. but pre-2013 Romo? Not a chance.. Now if Dak has another 15 INT season I will change my tune but to this point Dak through 7 years has been a good deal better than Romo in his first 7 years. Even if I don't hold it against him that he couldn't even get on the field his first two season and judge him solely on 2006-2012 I would not rate that QB better than Dak. As I said from 2013 I would be willing to hold that discussion but prior to that Romo to me was a snakebit loser and a choke artist at the worst possible time who I couldn't wait to see gone from Dallas. But Romo got better in that 2013-2015 period. Years 10-12 in the league and years 8-10 as the starter. He really learned how to take care of the ball.. how to manage the game and how to win. I would probably lean towards taking THAT guy over the current version of Dak. However Dak's story is still not yet written. He is to be afforded the same chance to grow and mature in the game. So I won't judge his career against Romo's career until his career is over. Nor will I compare him coming off arguably his worst year against Romo's best years. That makes no sense to me. Romo's progression was not a straight line either. Ironically he ALSO led the NFL in INTs his 7th season as a starter with 19 in 2012. And I can never get his 3 INT performance in the season finale with playoffs on the line at RFK that year out of my head. Especially that last one late in the game that lobbed out to the flat when we were driving for the winning score.. or so I thought. I was so done with him after that game...

I do think Dak's 30-35 seasons will be better than Romo's. If for no other reason than he takes better care of his body so he's not going to be in an out of the lineup AND he will have better coaching in McCarthy. He will likely also have consistently better defenses which should afford him the opportunity to play within himself more. I think Romo always felt like he had to be Superman with some of the horrible defenses that backed him later in his career..

 

[starfan1]

Here it is again - My very own, annually Dallas Cowboys ALL TIME Ranking List. (Top 5 per position)

Thoughts ? ....Accurate or Way off .? ... Who am I missing ?

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

QUARTERBACKS:
1) Roger Staubach
2) Troy Aikman
3) Tony Romo
4) Dak Prescott
5) Danny white

RUNNING BACKS
1) Emmitt smith
2) Tony Dorsett
3) Zeke Elliott
4) Demarco Murray
5) Hershel walker

FULLBACKS
1) Daryl 'moose' Johnston
2) Don Perkins
3) Walt Garrison
4) Ron Springs
5) Robert Newhouse
.
WIDE RECEIVERS
1) Michael Irvin
2) Bob Hayes
3) Drew Pearson
4) Dez Bryant
5) Terrell Owens
.
TIGHT ENDS
1 Jason Witten
2) Jay Novacek
3) Billy joe Dupree
4) Doug Cosbie
5) Mike Ditka
.
OFFENSIVE TACKLES
1) Rayfield wright
2) Erik Williams
3) Tyron Smith
4) Pat Donovan
5) Mark Tuinei
.
OFFENSIVE GUARDS
1) Larry Allen
2) Zack martin
3) Nate Newton
4) John Niland
5) Herb Scott
.
CENTERS
1) Travis Fredrick
2) Mark Stepnoski
3) Ray Donaldson
4) Andre Gurode
5) John Fitzgerald
.
DEFENSIVE ENDS :
1) Charles Haley
2) Harvey martin
3) Ed Jones
4) Demarcus Lawrence
5) Jim Jeffcoat
.
DEFENSIVE TACKLES :
1) Bob Lilly
2) Randy white
3) Jay Ratliff
4) La Roi Glover
5) Leon Lett
.
MIDDLE LINEBACKERS:
1) Lee Roy Jordan
2) Sean Lee
3) Ken Norton jr.
4) Bob Breuing
5) Robert Jones
.
OUTSIDE LINEBACKERS:
1) Demarcus Ware
2) Micah Parson
3) Chuck Howley
4) Dexter Coakley
5) Thomas Henderson
.
CORNERBACKS
1) Deion Sanders
2) Mel Renfro
3) Everson walls
4) Trevon Diggs
5) Cornell Green
.
SAFETIES
1) Cliff Harris
2) Darren Woodson
3) Roy Williams
4) Brock Marion
5) Charlie waters
.
KICKERS
1) Dan Bailey
2) Rafael Septien
3) Chris Bonoi
4) Nick Folk
5) Richie Cunningham
.
PUNTERS
1) Matt McBriar
2) Toby Gowin
3) Chris Jones
4) John Jett
5) Mike Saxon
.
RETURNERS:
1) Bob Hayes
2) Deion Sanders
3) Mel Renfro
4) Reggie Swinton
5) Kevin Williams

HEAD COACHES
1) Tom Landry
2) Jimmie Johnson
3) Bill Parcells
4) Jason Garrett
5) Mike McCarthy

Good list now way I have trevon Diggs on any top 5 list just yet

 

[GMO415]

OP, you're brave. Hahaha

Demarco Murray over Hershel Walker? Good grief!

 

[quickccc]

OP, you're brave. Hahaha

Demarco Murray over Hershel Walker? Good grief!

- Hall of fame and NFL all time leading rusher ...

- Plus the greatest, most dominant OL in NFL history

- And yet 3rd round pic Murray still broke all Cowboys single season rushing records ? Yet between Emmttt and Zeke, he still owns that record ?

- But maybe your misbelief is Hershel was because he a very much celebrated collegiate player,- Heisman Trophy winner... a very popular well liked personality
..the guy that replaced HOF Dorsett, ..and add how much of a sheer physical specimen Hershel was ... size, power and Olympic speed.
Yet Cowboys didn't think twice about trading him off the very year they arrived with the Cowboys.

- Shop him quickly even before the regular started, while a team like the Vikes (vastly) overrated his value off those aforementioned accolades and be willing to give up
the " Great Train Robbery " .for his services.

- Murray is nowhere even near close to Hershel when it comes to the unique physical traits and measurements of Walker, but Murray is the Cowboys record holder
and he was much more elusive and instinctive than Walker was. Too often Walker ran up the backs of his OL.

 

[quickccc]

OP, you're brave. Hahaha

Demarco Murray over Hershel Walker? Good grief!

You don't believe it ? ....Don't buy it ?

https://vault.si.com/vault/1996/08/...ve-humbled-by-the-many-hard-hits-he-has-taken

Here's an usurp from former Cowboys Legendary Everson Walls on Hershel Walker.:

Dorsett, arguably the Cowboys' best running back until Smith
arrived in Dallas, was traded to the Broncos in 1988. "Going
with Herschel was the beginning of the end for [coach] Tom
Landry," says Everson Walls.

"It wasn't that anyone had anything personal against Herschel, but our chemistry was broken up." And
that was only part of the problem, according to Walls. "We could
see right away Herschel wasn't that fluid or nimble," he says.
"He couldn't turn the corner on sweeps or swing passes.

" He couldn't dictate the game the way Tony did or Emmitt does. He
was more like a big brute who could run like hell if he got
through a hole. I guess he could just run over guys in college
football or the USFL, but this was the NFL."

Publicly, Landry tried to sell the concept of a dream backfield
of Heisman winners Dorsett and Walker. Privately, he told his
coaches, "Let's try to figure out what to do with Herschel." A
shoulder injury from his college days seemed to make Walker
tentative on plunges.
He ran robotically upright and reduced his
gait to choppy steps if he sensed any traffic in the hole.
"Tippin'," the players call it. Tiptoeing.

Paul Hackett, now offensive coordinator for the Kansas City
Chiefs, served as the Cowboys' pass-offense coordinator during
Walker's three full seasons in Dallas.

After the Cowboys' 3-13 showing in 1988, a frustrated Hackett said,
"Herschel is an immense talent with dramatic speed.

But what people don't understand is that though he's supposed to be a big power runner, he's best at running and catching out in space.

The question is, How do you get him there? We were statistically
successful with him [in '88 he became the 10th player in NFL
history to amass more than 2,000 combined yards rushing and
receiving in a season] by lining him up in lots of different
places.
But we never felt he was completely committed to
winning. Every year it's: 'Well, I may want to join the FBI.'
You wonder how much football really means to him."

 

[quickccc]

I loved Danny White too, he was my QB as well. I will never get over THE CATCH that prevented White from getting to a Super Bowl. I was too young to remember much at all of Roger. It is never fair and always impossible to come right after a legend like White did. You never get the credit for what you were, always the blame for not being like the other guy.

Anyone remember this Tom Landry vs Danny White moment ..?

 

[Setackin]

4) Danny White (3 straight NFCCG)
5) Dak Prescott

2) Tyron Smith
3) Erik Williams

2) Chuck Howley
3) Dexter Coakley
4) Thomas Henderson
5) Micah Parson (gotta earn it, only year 3)