Winning awards is one thing, but when you start getting new awards named after you, that's a whole other level.

In truth, the reason Cliff Harris is considered one of the greatest Cowboys of all time is that he literally came from another level. But that didn't stop him from becoming one of the NFL's best safeties.

Hailing from tiny Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia, Arkansas, then an NAIA school, Harris was not drafted in 1970, but accepted a free-agent contract with the Cowboys, who would routinely bring more than 120 undrafted rookies to training camp each year.

However, despite his lowly beginnings, he didn't just beat those guys out for a spot on the roster. Harris found the starting lineup in his first season and eventually became one of the anchors of the powerful Doomsday Defense.

Enjoying a 10-year career that filled out the entire decade, Harris only missed the playoffs once, as he helped the Cowboys win seven NFC East titles, reach seven NFC Championship Games and appear in five Super Bowls, winning two. In all, he played in 21 postseason games for Dallas.

Nicknamed "Captain Crash," Harris was known for being a big-time hitter. Paired alongside Charlie Waters, there wasn't a better safety combination in the NFL at the time. More so, few teams in league history have ever been able to feature two safeties to the quality of Harris and Waters.

But while he was known for his violent collisions with brave receivers who dared cross over the middle, Harris also had a way of getting to the ball, recording 35 interceptions in his career, including six in the playoffs, as well as 20 fumble recoveries, his four in the postseason the most in team annals. In addition, he also served as the Cowboys' primary kickoff and punt returner for a time, handling 129 returns overall while with Dallas.

For his effort, he was named to the All-Decade Team for the 1970s and eventually became a member of the Cowboys Ring of Honor in 2004. Finally, he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame as part of the 2020 centennial class.

One of his greatest honors, though, was the establishment of the Cliff Harris Award in 2013, which is given to the top defensive player from schools in the lower-level tiers of college football: NCAA Division II, III and the NAIA. Harris is not only on the selection committee, but is joined by former teammates such as Roger Staubach, Mel Renfro, Rayfield Wright and Drew Pearson in determining each year's winner.