Dallas, TX

The 5 best Dallas Cowboys draft picks of the Jerry Jones era, including 4 Hall of Famers

Published

2 years ago

April 18, 2024

The 5 best Dallas Cowboys draft picks of the Jerry Jones era, including 4 Hall of Famers

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

Pete Rozelle, NFL Commissioner, right, began the 54th annual draft of collegiate talent, his final draft, by announcing the selection of UCLA quarterback Troy Aikman, left, as the first pick by the Dallas Cowboys, Sunday, April 23, 1989 in New York.

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

Cowboys head coach Jimmy Johnson welcomes Cowboys No. 1 draft pick Emmitt Smith along with... — Cowboys head coach Jimmy Johnson welcomes Cowboys No. 1 draft pick Emmitt Smith along with owner Jerry Jones in April 1990.(Ken Geiger / Staff photographer)

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

Former Dallas Cowboys guard Larry Allen received his Hall of Fame ring from owner Jerry... — Former Dallas Cowboys guard Larry Allen received his Hall of Fame ring from owner Jerry Jones during a halftime ceremony at AT&T Stadium Sunday, October 13, 2013. (Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning News)(Tom Fox / Staff Photographer)

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:

I’ve seen this video too many times to count and every time my favorite part are the announcers saying “LARRY ALLEN” in pure astonishment after he runs down this linebacker. pic.twitter.com/8UjzVVh3pU
— Geoff Schwartz (@geoffschwartz) July 6, 2018

4. DeMarcus Ware

New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees fumbles in the closing seconds under pressure from... — New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees fumbles in the closing seconds under pressure from Dallas Cowboys’ DeMarcus Ware in an NFL football game, Saturday, Dec. 19, 2009, in New Orleans. Dallas won 24-17. (AP Photo/Jim Dietz)(Jim Dietz / AP)

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

The Dallas Cowboys draft of 2003 class, including (l to r ) Terence Newman, Bradie James,... — The Dallas Cowboys draft of 2003 class, including (l to r ) Terence Newman, Bradie James, Jason Witten and Tony Romo (undrafted free agent), are pictured after practice at training camp in Oxnard, California, on August 18, 2010. (Michael Ainsworth/The Dallas Morning News) 09242011xALDIA(MICHAEL AINSWORTH / Staff Photogra)

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.

Eagles vs. Cowboys Live Updates, Score: Can Dallas Get a Big Win?

Published

9 hours ago

November 23, 2025

Press Room

Eagles vs. Cowboys Live Updates, Score: Can Dallas Get a Big Win?

We’ve got a good old-fashioned NFC East rivalry matchup in store for “America’s Game of the Week” on Sunday.

The Eagles (8-2) and the Cowboys (4-5-1) meet up in Texas for the latest installment of one of the NFL’s top rivalries. Philadelphia won the first game between these two teams to open the season back in September, taking down Dallas in a game that was much closer than many expected.

However, the Eagles have largely looked the part of a defending Super Bowl champion since that game. They enter Sunday’s tilt as the NFC’s No. 1 seed. The Cowboys, however, have had a bumpy year. They have a tough hill to climb to make the postseason, but it seems possible with newcomer Quinnen Williams leading an improved defensive unit.

Will Philly maintain control of the NFC, or can Dallas start a winning streak and make a playoff push?

Follow along for Sunday’s highlights!

4:58p ET

A.J. Brown getting involved early and often

4:56p ET

Cowboys can’t get out their own way

4:53p ET

Tom Brady has liked the year Jalen Hurts has had

4:47p ET

The Eagles’ defense can travel

4:46p ET

One drive, one TD for Eagles

3:46p ET

Setting the stage in Dallas

Live Coverage for this began on 3:47p ET

Source link

Dallas, TX

Hundreds line up in southern Dallas for Thanksgiving meal distribution

Published

1 day ago

November 22, 2025

Press Room

Hundreds line up in southern Dallas for Thanksgiving meal distribution

Hundreds of cars lined up outside Uplift Hampton School in southern Dallas for the Melville Family Foundation’s fourth annual Thanksgiving meal distribution. Students and volunteers handed out kits with turkey, fresh produce, and traditional sides to families in need.

Source link

Dallas, TX

This North Oak Cliff neighborhood is Dallas’ friendliest

Published

2 days ago

November 22, 2025

Press Room

This North Oak Cliff neighborhood is Dallas’ friendliest

Nextdoor, the social media platform that connects neighbors through shared recommendations and local updates, recently released its ranking of the friendliest places to live in Dallas. At the top of the list is South Winnetka Heights, an Oak Cliff neighborhood of about 95 homes, many of which date back to the 1920s and ’30s.

Lists like these are subjective, to put it mildly, but in a sprawling city like Dallas, friendliness can feel like a lost art. It’s heartening to see neighborhoods that value connection where the neighborly spirit is thriving.

Last year, the neighborhood just a few streets away from Bishop Arts became an approved conservation district. The ordinance protects the roughly four blocks of Craftsman and bungalow-style houses south of 12th Street, which divides South Winnetka Heights from the Winnetka Heights historic district.

In December, the historic district hosts a holiday home tour, when residents open the doors of their Craftsman homes to visitors. It’s clear that residents take pride in showing off their neighborhood and its Prairie-style and Craftsman houses.

Michael “Patty” Evans has called South Winnetka Heights home for over 20 years and was among the residents who pushed for its conservation district status. He explained that the rules are looser than those of their northern neighbors in the Winnetka Heights historic district — protecting the character of the homes without stricter material or design regulations.

Nextdoor determines neighborhood scores based on factors like posts with positive or negative tones, fulfilled neighbor requests and posts expressing neighborhood pride or dissatisfaction. But that community feel isn’t limited to online.

Evans described the streets around him as a “tight neighborhood.” He said neighbors take the time to introduce themselves to new residents, and that this creates a network of people who know one another and keep tabs on what goes on in the neighborhood.

As much as Chicago or New York are cities of neighborhoods, Dallas is also a city of neighborhoods, and we should try to preserve this sense of community where we can.

As new developments and luxury apartment complexes come to Bishop Arts and more residents and businesses gravitate toward areas like Uptown, finding ways to stay connected to the local community feels increasingly important.

Evans said that sitting on his porch in South Winnetka Heights, especially when the leaves begin to fall, he can see downtown Dallas.

The city is a lot smaller than it can feel, especially when neighbors take the time to talk to each other, and not just online, but also by waving from their porches.

Source link