The 2024 NFL draft is right around the corner and with the No. 24 overall pick the Dallas Cowboys have a chance at striking gold.

As the draft nears, let’s look back at the top five draft picks during Jerry Jones’ ownership of the Cowboys.

1. Troy Aikman

Draft: 1989, first round, first overall

Position: Quarterback

The first player the Cowboys selected under the ownership of Jerry Jones became the most successful quarterback in franchise history. Aikman wasn’t the most athletic quarterback ever to wear the star on his helmet. He wasn’t the most mobile or statistically the most accurate. But the team captured three Super Bowl titles during his leadership, and Aikman thrived in big games.

The Cowboys won the Lombardi trophy every time Aikman led them to the Super Bowl, including Super Bowl XXVII when he was named MVP. He compiled an 11-4 career record in postseason starts. And though the Cowboys were not a good team upon Aikman’s arrival, he teamed up with Michael Irvin and Emmitt Smith to quickly turn the franchise’s fortunes around.

After a rugged rookie season during which he lost all 11 starts, Aikman went 94-60 for the remainder of his regular-season career. He held or tied 47 club passing records at his retirement.

2. Emmitt Smith

Draft: 1990, first round, 17th overall

Position: Running back

No back in NFL history has rushed for more yards than Smith. And given the changes in the game since Smith’s retirement, it’s a record that could stand the test of time. Smith finished his career with 18,355 yards on the ground and 164 touchdowns.

He wasn’t the flashiest back of his generation, but he was far and away the most durable and consistent. Smith announced his arrival with a season that earned him offensive rookie of the year. He led the NFL in rushing four times, broke the 1,000-yard barrier in a season 11 times and was both league and Super Bowl MVP during the 1993 season.

In addition to his accomplishments on the ground, Smith caught 515 passes for another 3,224 yards and 11 touchdowns in his career.

3. Larry Allen

Draft: 1994, second round, 46th overall

Position: Guard

Allen is the rare athlete who was twice named to all-decade teams, first for the 1990s and then again in the 2000s. He was All-Pro seven seasons and made 11 trips to the Pro Bowl (10 as a Cowboy), a franchise record he held alone for more than a decade. Tight end Jason Witten tied the mark with his 11th berth after the 2017 season. Allen, a hulking lineman, blocked for eight of Emmitt Smith’s 11 seasons surpassing 1,000 yards rushing.

He played every position but center during his Cowboys career and was named to the Pro Bowl as a tackle and a guard. Bruce Matthews and Chris Hinton are the only other players in NFL history to pull off the two-position Pro Bowl combo. In a sport known for brute strength, Allen is legendary. He was able to bench press 700 pounds and squat lift 900 during his playing days.

Amazingly, at 325 pounds, he had some wheels, too:

4. DeMarcus Ware

Draft: 2005, first round, 11th overall

Position: Outside linebacker/defensive end

Few players have gotten to the quarterback more in their career than Ware. He totaled 117 sacks in nine seasons with the Cowboys, making him the franchise’s all-time leader. He recorded double-digit sacks in seven consecutive seasons, only the fifth person in NFL history to accomplish that feat.

It took the Cowboys linebacker 113 games to reach the 100-sack plateau. Hall of Famer Reggie White (96 games) is the only player in league history to get there quicker. A Pro Bowl fixture before leaving for the Broncos, he made seven consecutive trips for Dallas. Ware retired after the 2016 seasons with 138.5 career sacks, the eighth most in NFL history.

In August of 2023 Ware joined the first three entries on this list in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He was inducted into the Cowboys’ Ring of Honor shortly after.

5. Jason Witten

Draft: 2003, third round, 69th overall

Position: Tight end

In 2012, he set the NFL single-season record for catches by a tight end. In 2015 he surpassed 1,000 receptions in his career. Witten spent the first 16 years of his NFL career with the Cowboys, with a one-year break to go to the Monday Night Football booth. His 1,215 receptions rank fourth in league history and is a franchise record. Witten also holds club records for yards receiving (12,977), most receptions in a single game (18), most games played (239) and most consecutive starts (179).

Witten played the final games of his career as a member of the Las Vegas Raiders, signing a one-day contract with Dallas to retire in 2021. Since his retirement he had a stint in the broadcast booth before starting his journey through the high school coaching ranks. His success continued: As head coach of Argyle Liberty Christian, he led the Warriors to the TAPPS Div. II state championship title.

More from the 2024 draft:

— Dallas Cowboys 2023 draft review: Opening statements left plenty to be desired

— The 2024 NFL draft’s best offensive linemen, including Joe Alt, JC Latham and others

— Potential Dallas Cowboys targets for each round of the NFL draft

— Calvin Watkins’ seven-round Cowboys mock draft: Boosting OL early; Speedy Day 2 pick?

—2024 NFL mock draft roundup: See whom experts say Cowboys will select at No. 24

Find more Cowboys coverage from The Dallas Morning News here.