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Top 50 Dallas Cowboys

Often, we talk about how difficult these lists are to put together, but nowhere was this more apparent than the Dallas Cowboys. 

Formed in 1960, the Cowboys got off to a slow start, but with strong coaching and elite scouting, Dallas would become one of the best teams in Pro Football, while along the way becoming one of the most internationally franchises regardless of the sport.

They would win Super Bowl VI and Super Bowl XII, but while they were a good team through most of the 1980s, they were unable to win the championship and would hit rock bottom.  The '90s were a different story, as they collected three Super Bowls (XXVII, XXVIII & XXX), but while they have been to the playoffs many times since Super Bowl XXX, the Cowboys have not been there since.

The Cowboys is one of those teams where we had to leave so many great players off that we wish we could have extended it to 100.  Eventually, we will do that, but if it looks like we missed one, the chances are that they just missed the cut.


Note: Football lists are based on an amalgamation of tenure, traditional statistics, advanced statistics, playoff statistics, and post-season accolades.

This list is based up until the 2024 Season.

Drafted in the third round out of Clemson in 1970, Charlie Waters arrived in Big D as a versatile defensive back, but his early years were marked by a search for his permanent home in Tom Landry’s complex Flex defense. After playing every game across his first three seasons as a free safety and spending two years at cornerback, Waters…

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Selected in the second round (38th overall) out of Michigan State in 1998, Flozell Adams arrived in Big D carrying an imposing 6-foot-7, 340-pound frame. Initially slotted at right guard as a rookie, Adams quickly demonstrated the elite lateral footwork and bone-crushing power needed to handle pass protection on the perimeter. By his second season, the coaching staff moved him…
Before the Ivy League became an afterthought for top-tier NFL talent evaluators, Calvin Hill proved that elite athleticism can come from anywhere. Legendary Dallas scouting director Gil Brandt spotted rare traits in the Yale standout, who spent his college years lining up at quarterback, defensive back, and linebacker. When the Cowboys picked him 24th overall in the 1969 draft, head…
Following Oklahoma's victory in the 2000 national championship, Roy Williams entered the 2002 NFL Draft as the leading figure among collegiate defensive backs. The consensus All-American achieved a clean sweep of the Bronko Nagurski Trophy and Jim Thorpe Award in 2001, establishing himself as the country's most formidable enforcer. The Dallas Cowboys, aiming to make him the cornerstone of their…
Selected in the third round out of Stanford in 1977, Tony Hill was a smooth, long-striding athlete who earned his stripes on special teams. Used primarily as a punt returner during his rookie campaign, Hill logged a minor role on offense, but he walked away with a championship ring following Dallas's victory over Denver in Super Bowl XII. He stepped…
Long before small-school gems became prized commodities in modern draft rooms, Jethro Pugh put Elizabeth City State College on the national football map. Drafted in the 11th round in 1965, the 6-foot-6 North Carolina native arrived in Big D as a project with extraordinary length and explosive leverage. Tom Landry and Gil Brandt recognized those raw traits, molding Pugh into…
Travis Frederick arrived in Dallas surrounded by unfair skepticism from media pundits who labeled him a reach when the Cowboys took him 31st overall. He silenced those critics almost instantly, stepping onto the field as a Week 1 starter and immediately establishing himself as the intellectual brain and physical anchor of the Dallas offensive line. Frederick served as the literal…
Long before the fullback position was largely erased from modern NFL playbooks, Daryl Johnston turned lead-blocking into an art form. Selected in the second round out of Syracuse in 1989, the 6-foot-2, 240-pound bruiser arrived in Big D just as Jimmy Johnson was laying the groundwork for a dynasty. It didn't take long for Texas Stadium to embrace him, as…
Selected in the second round (34th overall) of the 2014 draft out of Boise State, DeMarcus Lawrence came to Dallas as a decorated collegiate pass rusher. A two-time First-Team All-MWC selection, the athletic edge defender broke his foot during his first training camp, delaying his debut until midseason. He quickly made up for lost time in the playoffs, securing a…
Few defensive players in NFL history have exploded onto the professional scene with the immediate, game-wrecking impact of Micah Parsons. Selected 12th overall out of Penn State in 2021—where he was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year in 2019—Parsons was expected to give Dallas a versatile, sideline-to-sideline off-ball linebacker. Instead, defensive coordinator Dan Quinn quickly unleashed his rare,…
When the Dallas Cowboys acquired Charles Haley in August 1992, they were getting a proven champion still in his physical prime. Haley had already won two Super Bowls and earned three Pro Bowl nods in San Francisco, but friction with head coach George Seifert made him available via trade. Jimmy Johnson seized the opportunity, bringing in the explosive edge defender…
Drafted 24th overall out of Oklahoma State in 2010, Dez Bryant stepped into Big D carrying the legendary mantle of jersey No. 88. The All-American wideout announced his presence immediately, earning All-Rookie honors after compiling 561 receiving yards and six touchdowns on offense while generating another 508 yards and two scores on punt returns. Recognizing his singular aerial talent, the…