FRISCO, Texas – Since 1960, the Cowboys have spent nearly most of their first-round picks drafting in the range of 20-29.
Here they are again, sitting at No. 24 as the NFL Draft approaches on April 28.
Does history matter much to the draft? The Cowboys fans will probably hope it doesn't in this case.
Of the 30 players taken in this spot, only six players have made the Pro Bowl. All of them are in our list of the best players to be drafted in the 20s.
As the Cowboys sit with the 24th overall pick, it will be the 31st time in franchise history to draft in the 20s. Of the previous 30 players, only six have made the Pro Bowl with the Cowboys. Let's rank the best picks in this range.
10. Marcus Spears (20th overall, 2005) – The story behind this pick has been told often over the years. Head coach Bill Parcells was so enamored by the thought of taking Spears, he preferred to get the LSU defensive end with the 11th overall pick. But the Cowboys, who had two first-rounders that year, opted for DeMarcus Ware at 11 and ended up with Spears at No. 20. Needless to say, Spears didn't have the career of Ware and was a solid player in the 3-4 scheme.
9. Duane Thomas (23rd overall, 1970) – He played just two seasons with the Cowboys, but they were definitely productive. As a rookie in 1970, Thomas led the NFL with a 5.3 yard average and then led the league in rushing TDs in 1971 with 11. Both of his seasons saw the Cowboys make the Super Bowl, including a title-winning campaign in 1971. But off-the-field conflicts with the organization led to Thomas going to another team after two seasons.
8. Robert Jones (24th overall, 1992) – A pleasant surprise for the Cowboys in 1992, Jones ended up starting at middle linebacker as a rookie for a Super Bowl winning team. Jones was the second of two first-round picks that year, but landed on numerous All-Rookie teams. Overall, he played four years in Dallas but had a 10-year career.
7. Mike Jenkins (25th overall, 2008) – Like Jones, Jenkins was also the second first-round pick of his class, joining Felix Jones, who did not make this list. Jenkins was a Pro Bowler in 2009 and spent five of his eight NFL seasons with the Cowboys.
6. Byron Jones (28th overall, 2015) – One of the highest-paid corners in the NFL, Jones was a curious pick of the Cowboys in 2015 after he wowed the NFL teams with his workout that included a world record broad jump. Jones moved back and forth from corner to safety for a couple of seasons before finally going back to cornerback. In 2018, Jones became the first defensive back in franchise history to make an All-Pro without getting an interception. The Cowboys eventually let him go in free agency, where he signed a five-year, $82 million deal with the Dolphins.
5. Anthony Spencer (26th overall, 2007) – This draft saw the Cowboys trade out of the first round, and then back into it to get Spencer. Early in his career, he was definitely overshadowed by DeMarcus Ware but by the end of his time in Dallas, he was a Pro Bowler and a difference maker.
4. Jim Jeffcoat (23rd overall, 1983) – Similar to the Greg Ellis draft in 1998 when he was taken over Randy Moss, it's hard not to think about the "what-if" scenarios with the Cowboys considering drafting Dan Marino with this pick. Instead, that went with Jeffcoat, who never made a Pro Bowl. But he did play 15 seasons with the Cowboys, and finished his solid career with 94.5 sacks, which ranks 7th in team history.
3. Billy Joe DuPree (20th overall, 1973) – A three-time Pro Bowler, DuPree was never the main focal point of the Cowboys' offense that included the likes of Pearson, Dorsett and even Tony Hill during his time. But he was a reliable pass-catching target and an added blocker on the line. DuPree was part one of the best rookie classes in Cowboys history as they ended up with Harvey Martin in the third and Drew Pearson as an undrafted free agent.
2. Calvin Hill (24th overall, 1969) – Here's another player taken at No. 24 that had immediate success. In fact, Hill was the first offensive rookie to make first-team All-Pro for the first 55 years of the franchise. While he didn't play a long career in Dallas due to injuries, Hill was a player that gave the offense an instant jolt.
1. Dez Bryant (24th overall, 2010) – And this makes three players taken at No. 24, where the Cowboys are slotted to pick this year. But the Cowboys had to trade up two spots to get him, choosing to take a risk on Bryant, who had off-the-field question marks. But he was ultra-talented and the Cowboys couldn't pass him up. As it turned out, all of the pre-draft narrative on Bryant proved to be somewhat accurate. He had some issues off the field but on the field, he was an amazing player that is still the franchise lead in TD catches with 73.
