Team Sizzle? The last time the Cowboys drafted a college football star was....

[KB1122]

The Cowboys are always accused of trying to make a splash in the draft. Yet I can't think of the last time they drafted a famous college football player. Not a guy that all the pro scouts like. A legitimate college football star. Roger was a star. Dorsett was a star. Troy Irvin and Emmitt were stars, as was Deion (whom obviously we didn't draft). Maybe Russell Maryland? I don't know.

 

[KingintheNorth]

Making a "splash" doesn't necessarily mean drafting a famous college football player.

Trading for a troubled player like Dez makes a splash. Sending the Rams two picks to jump up and get Claiborne, who by the way was the Jim Thorpe Award winner (nation's top DB), makes a splash.

Overdrafting scrubs in the 4th round every year is a pathetic attempt at making a splash.

 

[basstapp]

tyron smith?

 

[IAmLegend]

Dez was the #1 WR in college football the year we drafted him and was definitely considered a "star." Off the field issues made him slip to us in the 20's, but he was a top 10-15 talent.

 

[KB1122]

Dez was the #1 WR in college football the year we drafted him and was definitely considered a "star." Off the field issues made him slip to us in the 20's, but he was a top 10-15 talent.

Just to clarify, I don't mean "a guy all the scouts and draftniks are high on." I mean a genuine household name type of player. That's a pretty small handful, admittedly.

I don't follow college very closely. And I had never heard of Dez Bryant before the Cowboys drafted him. That said, he probably is the only recent possibility in this category. Claiborne, I would say, was an award winner and well known about draftniks, but I don't see him as the type of player that I"m talking about.

 

[EST_1986]

We belly flopped into the Claiborne splash.

 

[Risen Star]

Dez was the #1 WR in college football the year we drafted him and was definitely considered a "star." Off the field issues made him slip to us in the 20's, but he was a top 10-15 talent.

Definitely. A solid top 10 pick without the baggage.

And that baggage has been relatively non-existent in Dallas.

 

[landroverking]

Man have you left out a lot of players.

 

[Lonestar94]

claiborne was a huge star...

 

[KB1122]

The Honey Badger was a huge star. Claiborne .... not as much.

 

[dogberry]

Would we be looking at players on the Heisman list?

 

[ologan]

The Honey Badger was a huge star. Claiborne .... not as much.

Thanks in no large part to Brent Musburger's man love for the "Badger"!

 

[KB1122]

Would we be looking at players on the Heisman list?

To an extent. In fact, one of the candidates for "last drafted college star" is probably Beau Morgan, but I think he was a free agent.

 

[tideh20heel]

Dez would have definitely fit that bill if not for the absurd suspension that cost him the bulk of the season. Having a marque player from college that is an immediate impact is certainly more interesting from a fan's perspective. Roy Williams was probably the most recent guy that really had people buzzing on draft day (excepting Dez for the aforementioned reason). Must confess I was euphoric when they got Dez and have watched the video of him getting the call from the Boys at least a couple hundred times. Roy as a rookie was an absolute beast but hindsight makes me wonder if things would have been different if we targeted Ed Reid.

 

[JonJon]

Just to clarify, I don't mean "a guy all the scouts and draftniks are high on." I mean a genuine household name type of player. That's a pretty small handful, admittedly.

I don't follow college very closely. And I had never heard of Dez Bryant before the Cowboys drafted him. That said, he probably is the only recent possibility in this category. Claiborne, I would say, was an award winner and well known about draftniks, but I don't see him as the type of player that I"m talking about.

Dez was definitely a household name in college, easily the best WR in that draft class, and one of the games most explosive players. So, yeah he fits the criteria of a big name player. Also, as others have mentioned, Morris Claiborne. Before that, you'd probably have to go back to 2002 when Dallas drafted Roy Williams. An argument can be made for Terence Newman a well.

 

[Future]

Does anybody not consider Morris Claiborne a star? lol The guy was as much of a household name as it gets.

 

[TellerMorrow34]

I'd have to saw Dez fit every bit of that criteria you were just mentioning.

 

[KB1122]

There's no way with Morris Claiborne. Some of you are confusing "well known to draftniks and college football fans" with household name.

 

[Bungarian]

There's no way with Morris Claiborne. Some of you are confusing "well known to draftniks and college football fans" with household name.

Claiborne and Dez were. Do you watch college ball?

 

[Macnalty]

I assume you mean more along the lines of Tony Dorsett and Herschel Walker?