Draft Duds: Cowboys 10 Worst All-Time Picks

From a bad Apple(ton) to a busted Taco, Dallas has suffered memorable whiffs in the NFL Draft.

FRISCO - In their previous 61 NFL Drafts the Dallas Cowboys have selected 758 players, highlighted by 11 future Pro Football Hall of Famers. You don't win five Super Bowls and become America's Team by not consistently winning the draft.

But when the Cowboys miss, their whiffs are both infamous and debilitating.

They’ve wasted precious past picks on a basketball player (Pat Riley in ’67), a baseball player (Merv Rettemund in ’65) and an Olympic sprinter (Carl Lewis in ’84) that never set foot on a football field.

Taco Charlton

Morris Claiborne

Bobby Carpenter

In ’09 they orchestrated a Dirty Dozen, flubbing all 12 picks. In 2017 they chose pass-rusher Taco Charlton over another pass-rusher - and reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year - named T.J. Watt. In 2019, they took defensive lineman Trysten Hill six picks before receiver D.K. Metcalf was drafted.

Suffice to say, the Cowboys have historically been one of the most surprising teams in one of sports’ most fickle events.

This year the Cowboys pick 24th, where they've had previous success in picking franchise Top-5 rusher and four-time Pro Bowl running back Calvin Hill, three-time Super Bowl linebacker Robert Jones and Dez Bryant, who still leads the club in touchdown catches.

Given the nature of the draft in general and the impulse of owner Jerry Jones in specific, it’s almost impossible to pinpoint their upcoming pick on April 28. For what it's worth, the Cowboys need help along both lines, and Jones is publicly revealing he's willing to trade up.

Considering it’s much easier to look back with hindsight rather than ahead with foresight, our Top 10 worst all-time Cowboys’ picks:

10. David LaFleur – Hand-picked by Troy Aikman to replace Jay Novacek at tight end, the 22nd pick in ’97 flopped with only 85 catches in 60 career games.

9. Bobby Carpenter – Drafted 18th overall by Bill Parcells in ’06, he never became a starter in Dallas and was eventually cut.

8. Shante Carver – Defensive end was selected 23rd overall in ’94 (ahead of Larry Allen), but started only 26 games over four seasons.

7. Tody Smith – Southern Cal defensive end was drafted 25th overall in ’71, but produced 0 sacks in 69 games with Cowboys. Hall-of-Fame GM Gil Brandt had his misses, too.

6. Bill Thomas – The Boston College runner was taken ahead of Robert Newhouse in ’72, but never scored an NFL touchdown.

Scott Appleton

Trysten Hill

Kevin Brooks

5. Taco Charlton – Picked two spots ahead of reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year T.J. Watt at the end of the first round in 2017, he started only seven games in Dallas over two frustrating seasons and is currently with his fifth team in six years.

4. Morris Claiborne – They traded up to take him at No. 6 in ’12 because of his playmaking skills, which produced only four interceptions in five underwhelming seasons.

3. Kevin Brooks – Forgettable defensive lineman was picked 17th overall in ’85, one spot behind some guy named Jerry Rice.

2. Rod Hill – 25th overall pick in ’82 wasn’t even good enough to flop, never starting a game in a Cowboys uniform.

1. Scott Appleton – University of Texas Outland Trophy winner was taken 4th overall in ’64 and simultaneously traded (via pre-draft agreement) to the Steelers for receiver Buddy Dial, who scored only two touchdowns for the Cowboys. Appleton ultimately shunned Pittsburgh, signing instead with the AFL’s Houston Oilers to commence a disappointing career.