Cowboys NFL Draft: Dez Bryant and How To Hit On Pick No. 24
FRISCO - The Dallas Cowboys went 0-1 in the NFL Playoffs, leaving them to turn their attention to the 2024 NFL Draft with ownership in April of pick No. 24 ...
Where the Dallas Cowboys are 4-for-4.
It is written that when you are a perennially competitive team that as a result usually drafts late in the rounds, you are unlikely to "hit'' on your picks; obviously, the odds of selecting a star with a higher pick are higher.
But Dallas, dating back over the decades - a length of time that suggests that some of this is a "scientific dart throw'' - has done very well pick in this slot. To wit, a quick history lesson featuring a "monster'' or two ...
In 1969 - Calvin Hill, running back (Yale): Hill came to town with an unusual frame - 6-4, 227, largely unheard of at the time - and with that Ivy League intellect that has served him well as at age 77, as he has spent recent years in the franchise's employ as a counselor to players.
How good, how quickly, was Hill? He was named Offensive Rookie of the Year and was a first-team All-Pro as a rookie.
In 1992 - Robert Jones, linebacker (East Carolina): Dallas double-dipped in the first round in 1992, drafting cornerback Kevin Smith and then Jones, who was a rookie starter on a Super Bowl winner.
Jones won All-Rookie Team honors and was NFC Defensive Rookie of the Year nod in the NFL's best defense.
In 2010 - Dez Bryant, receiver (Oklahoma State): The Cowboys did their research on questions of Dez' background - some of the NFL's interrogations of him were downright nasty - and then traded up from No. 26 to grab the Texas native.
Bryant's "Throw Up the X!'' mantra became a "thing'' ... still is, really, as his passion for the Cowboys and his forceful personality remain a constant - complete with his recent remark about being selected at No. 24 as a "monster'' only to be coached by a "Clapper'' in Jason Garrett.
In 2022 - Tyler Smith, offensive line (Tulsa): Too many critics thought this pick was a stretch; the Cowboys knew better, confidently grabbing the big kid from Fort Worth who stepped in immediately as a rookie to make an impact at left tackle subbing for Tyron Smith and who in just his second season, now at left guard, has earned All-Pro honors.
