The Best Dallas Cowboys First-Round Picks In The NFL Draft

Updated July 26, 2019 230 votes 17 voters48 items

List RulesBased only on career success with Dallas Cowboys. Only picks made during Super Bowl era (since 1967).

The Dallas Cowboys' first-round draft picks have been a mixed bag when it comes to the final results throughout the years. Many iconic players like Emmitt Smith, Michael Irvin, and Troy Aikman, some of the best NFL players of all time, have provided memories Cowboys fans will treasure forever. However, there have been a number of NFL draft busts, as well, to even things out.

After winning three Super Bowls in the '90s, cementing their status as one of the best NFL franchises of all time, the Cowboys have had trouble achieving that success again. Recent Cowboys draft picks like Ezekiel Elliott will try to change that.

But who has been the top first-round draft pick in Cowboys history? The stats below reflect only players' time spent with the Cowboys, and that's what you should consider when voting. How much did these players help the team that drafted them?

1
16
2
Troy Aikman
Overall selection: 1 (1989)

Stats
165 games, 32,942 passing yards (165 touchdowns), 1,016 rushing yards (9 touchdowns)

Achievements
3× Super Bowl champion (XXVII, XXVIII, XXX),
Super Bowl MVP (XXVII)
6× Pro Bowl (1991–1996)
2
13
2
Leighton Vander Esch
Overall selection: 19 (2018)

Stats
16 games, 140 tackles, 2 interceptions

Achievements
Pro Bowl (2018)
Second-team All-Pro (2018)
3
12
2
Emmitt Smith
Overall selection: 17 (1990)

Stats
201 games, 17,162 rushing yards (143 touchdowns), 3,012 receiving yards (11 touchdowns)

Achievements
3× Super Bowl champion (XXVII, XXVIII, XXX)
Super Bowl MVP (XXVIII)
8× Pro Bowl (1990–1995, 1998, 1999)
4× First-team All-Pro (1992–1995)
NFL Most Valuable Player (1993)
NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year (1990)
4
8
0
Randy White
Overall selection: 2 (1975)

Stats
209 games, 10 fumble recoveries

Achievements
Super Bowl champion (XII)
Super Bowl Co-MVP (XII)
9× Pro Bowl (1977–1985)
9× First-team All-Pro (1977–1985)
NFL 1980s All-Decade Team
5
9
2
Tyron Smith
Overall selection: 9 (2011)

Stats
118 games, 3 tackles, 1 fumble recovery

Achievements
6× Pro Bowl (2013–2018)
2× First-team All-Pro (2014, 2016)
2× Second-team All-Pro (2013, 2015)
6
9
5
Michael Irvin
Overall selection: 11 (1988)

Stats
159 games, 11,904 receiving yards (65 touchdowns)

Achievements
3× Super Bowl champion (XXVII, XXVIII, XXX)
5× Pro Bowl (1991–1995)
First-team All-Pro (1991)
7
6
2
Ezekiel Elliott
Overall selection: 4 (2016)

Stats
40 games, 4,048 rushing yards (28 touchdowns), 135 receiving yards (6 touchdowns)

Achievements
2× Pro Bowl (2016, 2018)
First-team All-Pro (2016)
Second-team All-Pro (2018)
8
6
2
DeMarcus Ware
Overall selection: 11 (2005)

Stats
141 games, 574 tackles, 117 sacks, 32 forced fumbles

Achievements
7× Pro Bowl (2006–2012)
4× First-team All-Pro (2007–2009, 2011)
3× Second-team All-Pro (2006, 2010, 2012)
9
7
5
Travis Frederick
Overall selection: 31 (2013)

Stats
80 games, 3 tackles, 1 fumble recovery

Achievements
4× Pro Bowl (2014–2017)
2× First-team All-Pro (2014, 2016)
Second-team All-Pro (2015)
10
0
2
Aaron Kyle
Overall selection: 27 (1976)

Stats
60 games, 6 interceptions

Achievements
Super Bowl champion (XII)
11
0
1
Alvin Harper
Overall selection: 12 (1991)

Stats
65 games, 2,486 receiving yards (18 touchdowns)

Achievements
2× Super Bowl champion (XXVII, XXVIII)
12
0
1
Anthony Spencer
Overall selection: 26 (2007)

Stats
104 games, 390 tackles, 33 sacks, 14 forced fumbles

Achievements
Pro Bowl (2012)
13
2
2
Billy Joe DuPree
Overall selection: 20 (1973)

Stats
159 games, 3,565 receiving yards (41 touchdowns)

Achievements
3× Pro Bowl (1976, 1977, 1978)
Super Bowl champion (XII)

14
0
2
Bobby Carpenter
Overall selection: 18 (2006)

Stats
58 games, 96 tackles, 3.5 sacks
15
5
2
Calvin Hill
Overall selection: 24 (1969)

Stats
73 games, 1,166 rushing yards (39 touchdowns), 1,359 receiving yards (6 touchdowns)

Achievements
Super Bowl champion (VI)
4× Pro Bowl (1969, 1972–1974)
2× All-Pro (1969, 1973)
NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year (1969)
16
2
2
Danny Noonan
Overall selection: 12 (1987)

Stats
73 games, 15 sacks

Achievements
Super Bowl champion (XXVII)
17
0
4
David LaFleur
Overall selection: 22 (1997)

Stats
60 games, 729 receiving yards (12 touchdowns)
18
0
0
Dennis Homan
Overall selection: 20 (1968)

Stats
31 games, 437 receiving yards (1 touchdown)
19
2
0
Duane Thomas
Overall selection: 23 (1970)

Stats
25 games, 1596 rushing yards (16 touchdowns), 226 receiving yards (2 touchdowns)

Achievements
Super Bowl champion (VI)
20
2
2
Ebenezer Ekuban
Overall selection: 20 (1999)

Stats
60 games, 111 tackles, 12.5 sacks
21
8
2
Ed Jones
Overall: 1 (1974)

Stats
224 games, 19 fumble recoveries

Achievements
Super Bowl champion (XII)
3× Pro Bowl (1981–1983)
3× All-Pro (1981–1983)
22
0
0
Felix Jones
Overall selection: 22 (2008)

Stats
64 games, 569 rushing yards (11 touchdowns), 1,062 receiving yards (3 touchdowns)
23
5
5
Greg Ellis
Overall selection: 6 (1998)

Stats
162 games, 500 tackles, 77 sacks, 20 forced fumbles

Achievements
Pro Bowl (2007)

24
0
0
Howard Richards
Overall selection: 26 (1981)

Stats
69 games, 3 fumble recoveries
25
5
0
Jim Jeffcoat
Overall selection: 23 (1983)

Stats
188 games, 696 tackles, 94.5 sacks, 16 forced fumbles

Achievements
2× Super Bowl champion (XXVII, XXVIII)

Tyron Smith

Jim Jeffcoat