Whom do you nominate as the most impactful Cowboy rookie in history?

[SFloridaCowboy]

Emmitt Smith
Zeke
Dak
Everson Walls
Tyron Smith
Zach Martin
T. Frederick
T. Diggs
D Ware
T Dorsett
Calvin Hill

 

[kskboys]

Bob Lilly, and it's not close.

 

[RS12]

Bob Lilly, and it's not close.

This. From expansion team to Doomsday in 6 years. And Lilly lead the way. Double and triple teamed every play still got 95 sacks and allowed Jethro Pugh to get 96.

 

[big dog cowboy]

 

[Hagman]

I appreciate mentioning Lilly, but I’m interpreting the question as which player had the greatest impact their rookie year. In Lilly’s first year, the team still was building, a.k.a. sucked.

The player who was the most impactful as a rookie was Tony Dorsett in 1977. The year before the leading Dallas Cowboys rusher, Doug Dennison, only had 540 yards on the season, and we lost in the first round of the playoffs. In Dorsett’s first year he ran for over 1000 yards snd the Cowboys won the Super Bowl. That’s quite a difference maker for a rookie.

 

[thunderpimp91]

Tough to judge impact strictly by looking at stats a lot of the time so I probably can't speak too much for the guys before my time, but in my lifetime I think it would have to be Dak. Even if he was a bit of a bus driver his rookie year his efficiency and ability to come through in the clutch was outstanding.

 

[ChronicCowboy]

1. Dorsett
2. Martin
3. Zeke

 

[dupree89]

I appreciate mentioning Lilly, but I’m interpreting the question as which player had the greatest impact their rookie year. In Lilly’s first year, the team still was building, a.k.a. sucked.

The player who was the most impactful as a rookie was Tony Dorsett in 1977. The year before the leading Dallas Cowboys rusher, Doug Dennison, only had 540 yards on the season, and we lost in the first round of the playoffs. In Dorsett’s first year he ran for over 1000 yards snd the Cowboys won the Super Bowl. That’s quite a difference maker for a rookie.

I agree, Dorsett.

 

[AstroPilota]

I think it's a tough call between Lilly and Dorsett. I wish I could've seen more of Bob Hayes in his prime.

 

[Aerolithe_Lion]

Lilly’s rookie year he had 5.5 sacks and the team went 4-9-1. Are people confusing the question?

Impact is on a curve, and only 1 player here is the most impactful position. Dallas went from 4-12 in 2015 with a team QBR somewhere in the 30’s and a passer rating around 75 to 13-3 in 2016 behind Dak’s 77 QBR and 105 passer rating. It is not realistically possible for a nonQB to have the same level of impact, and Lilly’s rookie year certainly wasn’t that

 

[rags747]

Dorsett and it’s not really close. Duane Thomas would be up there too. Maybe we should make a move for Jeanty!!

 

[zrinkill]

Tony
Zeke

 

[5Stars]

Tony
Zeke

Oh, man, you should have never mentioned Romo, now you are going to give Dak fans a brain aneurysm.

(shhh, I think I hear AC coming).

 

[cowboyec]

mel renfro.
pro bowl...2nd team all-pro.

 

[DallasEast]

Are people confusing the question?

Have you considered Tony Dorsett's rookie contribution?

 

[75boyz]

Dorsett and it’s not really close. Duane Thomas would be up there too. Maybe we should make a move for Jeanty!!

This is spot on. Dorsett was like the cherry on top to that cast of 70s stars and took them over the top as to being a SB winner his rookie year, but as a SB contender every year thereafter as well.

Dorsett changed Landry's whole mindset on his previously rigid ground game philosophy.
And this was key for that offense to be the balanced powerhouse that it was.

 

[5Stars]

This is spot on. Dorsett was like the cherry on top to that cast of 70s stars and took them over the top as to being a SB winner his rookie year, but as a SB contender every year thereafter as well.

Dorsett changed Landry's whole mindset on his previously rigid ground game philosophy.
And this was key for that offense to be the balanced powerhouse that it was.

I may be wrong, but I cannot think I have ever seen another runner that glides when he runs, it's like he was on ice skates or something! Incredible.

 

[blueblood70]

Emmitt Smith
Zeke
Dak
Everson Walls
Tyron Smith
Zach Martin
T. Frederick
T. Diggs
D Ware
T Dorsett
Calvin Hill

that's a tough one but I can tell you this Ezekiel Elliott might be underrated around here and undervalued you realize he had a top five all time running back rookie year like all time in the NFL I believe it might have been third he was insane good should have got rookie of the year went to Prescott but it was for him Prescott would not have got it that means his impact was good he played well in the Green Bay game with the rest of the offense and the defense didn't so you had a rookie helping another rookie get to the playoffs in year 1 I'd say that's pretty impactful....

https://www.statmuse.com/nfl/ask/most-rushing-yards-by-a-rookie-running-back

Hes 3rd just think about this his rookie rushing campaign you could put emits and Tony's together and they barely would give the kind of production that Ezekiel Elliott had his rookie year, that's impressive especially coming off back-to-back 1800 yards scrimmage years in college the man was a beast would have won three Russian crowns right out of college had it not been for that 2017 suspension which was a debacle....respect

ES22 937 11tds

TD 1007 yards 11tds

Zeke 1631 15 tds add in alomot 400 yards receiving and etc

Not even close

 

[KJJ]

It had to be Tony Dorsett. He gave the Cowboys the missing ingredient they needed to win their second SB in 1977. He was a huge big play threat that terrified defenses with his game changing speed. He broke off several long runs including an 84 yard TD run against Philly. He scored 12 TDs and clearly put the Cowboys over the top that season. Statistically Zeke had a better rookie season but the Cowboys went one and done in the playoffs.

 

[TequilaCowboy]

Impactful as a rookie, not two or three or six years later…. Hard to separate Emmitt and Dorsett. Both came in and impacted enough to get the Cowboys a championship.