Best draft picks in Dallas Cowboys history

Stacker compiled a list of the best draft picks in Dallas Cowboys history using career Weighted Approximate Value (wAV), a metric developed by Pro-Football-Reference.com to estimate career impact. The ranking also lists individual accolades such as Pro Bowl selections, First-Team All-Pro honors, and total years as a starter. Players were assigned to their originally drafted teams, excluding any draft-day trades. Data is as of April 2026.

#9. Steve Wisniewski (1989, Round 2, Pick 29)
- Position: G
- Career wAV: 102
- Pro Bowls: 8
- First-Team All-Pro: 2
- Games Played: 206
- Seasons as Starter: 13

#8. Zack Martin (2014, Round 1, Pick 16)
- Position: G
- Career wAV: 103
- Pro Bowls: 9
- First-Team All-Pro: 7
- Games Played: 162
- Seasons as Starter: 11

#5. Michael Irvin (1988, Round 1, Pick 11) (tie)
- Position: WR
- Career wAV: 104
- Pro Bowls: 5
- First-Team All-Pro: 1
- Games Played: 159
- Seasons as Starter: 10

#5. Dak Prescott (2016, Round 4, Pick 135) (tie)
- Position: QB
- Career wAV: 104
- Pro Bowls: 4
- First-Team All-Pro: 0
- Games Played: 139
- Seasons as Starter: 9

#5. Roger Staubach (1964, Round 10, Pick 129) (tie)
- Position: QB
- Career wAV: 104
- Pro Bowls: 6
- First-Team All-Pro: 0
- Games Played: 131
- Seasons as Starter: 8

#4. Tony Dorsett (1977, Round 1, Pick 2)
- Position: RB
- Career wAV: 107
- Pro Bowls: 4
- First-Team All-Pro: 1
- Games Played: 173
- Seasons as Starter: 11

#3. Bob Lilly (1961, Round 1, Pick 13)
- Position: DT
- Career wAV: 112
- Pro Bowls: 11
- First-Team All-Pro: 7
- Games Played: 196
- Seasons as Starter: 14

#2. Randy White (1975, Round 1, Pick 2)
- Position: DT
- Career wAV: 116
- Pro Bowls: 9
- First-Team All-Pro: 7
- Games Played: 209
- Seasons as Starter: 11

#1. Emmitt Smith (1990, Round 1, Pick 17)
- Position: RB
- Career wAV: 129
- Pro Bowls: 8
- First-Team All-Pro: 4
- Games Played: 226
- Seasons as Starter: 14