Honestly, being a Cowboys fan during draft season is a weird kind of stress. You’ve got Jerry Jones in that war room, cameras everywhere, and the entire world waiting for him to do something "Jerry-like." Usually, that means a flashy pick that makes headlines but leaves the roster with a giant hole at defensive tackle for a decade. But if you actually look at the history of Cowboys 1st round draft picks, the reality is a lot different than the "Draft Day" movie drama we see on TV.
People love to meme this team. It's easy. But Dallas has actually been quietly—maybe even accidentally—the best drafting team in the league for a while now.
The Hall of Fame Factory
Let’s get the big names out of the way first. When the Cowboys hit, they hit at a level that most franchises can only dream of. Think about the run they had starting around 2010.
They took Dez Bryant at 24. A lot of teams passed on him because of "character concerns" (basically he was just loud and liked his mom). He became the franchise leader in touchdown catches. Then they took Tyron Smith at 9. Then Travis Frederick—everyone hated that pick, called it a reach—and Zack Martin. Basically, they built a wall of All-Pros.
Actually, there's this wild stat floating around that Dallas has a 67% All-Pro hit rate on their first-rounders over the last 15 years. That’s not just "good starters." That’s "best in the league at their position" level. Micah Parsons at 12? Absolute home run. CeeDee Lamb at 17? A steal that still makes Eagles fans annoyed.
But it’s not all gold.
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The "What Were They Thinking?" Era
You can't talk about Cowboys 1st round draft picks without mentioning the busts. Taco Charlton is the name that haunts every fan's dreams. Dallas took him at 28 in 2017 while T.J. Watt was still on the board.
Think about that for a second.
They chose Taco over a guy who became a Defensive Player of the Year. It's the kind of mistake that changes the trajectory of a decade. Then there was Mazi Smith in 2023. The jury is technically still out, but his rookie year was... let’s just say it wasn't what you want from a 26th overall pick. He looked lost. He lost weight when he should’ve been gaining it. It was a mess.
The Post-Micah Parsons Reality
Here is where things get really interesting and a little bit sad for the fans who grew up watching #11 wreck games. As we move into the 2026 season, the landscape of the roster has shifted. The team is coming off a 7-9-1 year in 2025.
The defense got a facelift recently. They brought in veterans like Kenny Clark and Quinnen Williams to beef up the middle, which is great, but they paid a massive price. They traded Micah Parsons to Green Bay.
It felt like a gut punch.
But because of that trade, the Cowboys actually have a massive opportunity in the 2026 NFL Draft. Thanks to the Packers collapsing against the Bears in the playoffs, Dallas now holds two picks in the top 20:
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- The 12th overall pick (their own)
- The 20th overall pick (from Green Bay)
Jerry Jones is already talking about trading them. Of course he is. He told reporters recently that he’s "definitely going to take advantage" of having two number ones. That could mean moving up for a superstar or trading back to recoup the second and third-rounders they gave away in other deals.
Recent Hits and Misses
If you look at the last couple of years, the strategy has been a bit of a rollercoaster.
In 2024, they went with Tyler Guyton at 29. He’s a mountain of a man from Oklahoma, 6-foot-8, and he was basically tasked with replacing the legend Tyron Smith. He had a rocky start—typical for a guy who only played a few years of high-level tackle—but the athleticism is there.
Then in 2025, they took Tyler Booker, a guard out of Alabama, at 12.
- Tyler Guyton (2024): High ceiling, raw, needs to fix his hand placement.
- Tyler Booker (2025): A "plug and play" guy who helped stabilize a line that was losing Zack Martin to retirement.
- Mazi Smith (2023): Still the biggest question mark on the roster.
It seems like Will McClay (the guy who actually runs the draft while Jerry takes the credit) is trying to get back to that 2014 era. He wants big, mean, athletic dudes on the offensive line. It’s not flashy. It doesn’t sell jerseys like a new wide receiver would. But it's how they won in the 90s.
Why 2026 is Different
The 2026 draft feels like a crossroads for Cowboys 1st round draft picks.
Without Parsons, the pass rush is... thin. They need a game-changer. Mock drafts are already screaming for them to take David Bailey, the edge rusher out of Texas Tech. He’s 6-foot-3 and had 15 sacks last season. He’s got that "get-off" that makes scouts drool.
If they keep the 12th pick, Bailey is the logical choice. But there’s also the wide receiver problem. CeeDee Lamb is incredible, but he needs help. Names like Tetairoa McMillan or Matthew Golden have been linked to Dallas in the past, and that 20th pick could be the perfect spot to grab a WR2 who can actually take the lid off a defense.
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Honestly, the biggest misconception about the Cowboys is that they are bad at this. They aren't. They’re actually elite at the first round. The problem is usually what happens after the draft—the coaching, the cap management, and the constant media circus.
Actionable Insights for the 2026 Offseason
If you’re looking at how this team should handle their upcoming picks, here are a few things to keep an eye on:
- Watch the Trade Market: Jerry loves a deal. If a team like the Jets or the Bengals wants to move up into the 12th spot, Dallas might move back to the late 20s to grab more "meat" for the middle rounds.
- Prioritize Edge over Secondary: With Trevon Diggs coming back from injury and DaRon Bland established, the secondary is okay. The pass rush is not. If David Bailey is there at 12, you take him. No questions asked.
- Don't Reach for a RB: Fans are desperate for a star running back again, but history shows the Cowboys find better value in the 4th or 5th rounds for that position. Using a top-20 pick on a back in 2026 would be a step backward.
The draft is the only time of year when hope is actually free in Dallas. With two picks in the top 20, the front office has no excuse. They either find the next Micah Parsons, or they find themselves looking for a new head coach by Christmas.
To stay ahead of the curve, keep a close watch on the NFL Scouting Combine results for edge rushers—specifically their 10-yard split times. That’s usually the metric the Cowboys front office obsessed over when they found guys like Parsons and DeMarcus Ware.