National Football League

Dallas Cowboys first round picks: Complete list by year

Published Apr. 3, 2024 11:46 a.m. ET

The first round of the NFL Draft has yielded some prized gems for the Dallas Cowboys, including several Hall of Famers and Super Bowl champions. Check out the complete first round draft pick history of the Dallas Cowboys below:

Dallas Cowboys First Round Picks

2023: Mazi Smith - Pick 26 (DT - Michigan)
2022: Tyler Smith - Pick 24 (T - Tulsa)
2021: Micah Parsons - Pick 12 (LB - Penn State)
2020: CeeDee Lamb - Pick 17 (WR - Oklahoma)
2019: No pick
2018: Leighton Vander Esch - Pick 19 (LB - Boise State)
2017: Taco Charlton - Pick 28 (DE - Michigan)
2016: Ezekiel Elliott - Pick 4 (RB - Ohio State)
2015: Byron Jones - Pick 27 (DB - UConn)
2014: Zack Martin - Pick 16 (T - Notre Dame)
2013: Travis Frederick - Pick 31 (C - Wisconsin)
2012: Morris Claiborne - Pick 6 (CB - LSU)
2011: Tyron Smith - Pick 9 (T - USC)
2010: Dez Bryant - Pick 24 (WR - Oklahoma State)
2009: No pick
2008: Felix Jones - Pick 22 (RB - Arkansas), Mike Jenkins - Pick 25 (CB - South Florida)
2007: Anthony Spencer - Pick 26 (LB - Purdue)
2006: Bobby Carpenter - Pick 18 (LB - Ohio State)
2005: DeMarcus Ware - Pick 11 (LB - Troy), Marcus Spears - Pick 20 (DE - LSU)
2004: No pick
2003: Terence Newman - Pick 5 (CB - Kansas State)
2002: Roy Williams - Pick 8 (S - Oklahoma)
2001: No pick
2000: No pick
1999: Ebenezer Ekuban - Pick 20 (DE - North Carolina)
1998: Greg Ellis - Pick 8 (DE - North Carolina)
1997: David LaFleur - Pick 22 (TE - LSU)
1996: No pick
1995: No pick
1994: Shante Carver - Pick 23 (DE - Arizona State)
1993: No pick
1992: Kevin Smith - Pick 17 (DB - Texas A&M), Robert Jones - Pick 24 (LB - East Carolina)
1991: Russell Maryland - Pick 1 (DT - Miami (FL)), Alvin Harper - Pick 12 (WR - Tennessee), Kelvin Pritchett - Pick 20 (DT - Ole Miss)
1990: Emmitt Smith - Pick 17 (RB - Florida)
1989: Troy Aikman - Pick 1 (QB - UCLA)
1988: Michael Irvin - Pick 11 (WR - Miami (FL))
1987: Danny Noonan - Pick 12 (DT - Nebraska)
1986: Mike Sherrard - Pick 18 (WR - UCLA)
1985: Kevin Brooks - Pick 17 (DE - Michigan)
1984: Billy Cannon Jr. - Pick 25 (LB - Texas A&M)
1983: Jim Jeffcoat - Pick 23 (DE - Arizona State)
1982: Rod Hill - Pick 25 (DB - Kentucky State)
1981: Howard Richards - Pick 26 (T - Missouri)
1980: No pick
1979: Robert Shaw - Pick 27 (C - Tennessee)
1978: Larry Bethea - Pick 28 (DE - Michigan State)
1977: Tony Dorsett - Pick 2 (RB - Pittsburgh)
1976: Aaron Kyle - Pick 27 (DB - Wyoming)
1975: Randy White - Pick 2 (LB - Maryland), Thomas Henderson - Pick 18 (LB - Langston)
1974: Ed "Too Tall" Jones - Pick 1 (DE - Tennessee State), Charley Young - Pick 22 (RB - NC State)
1973: Billy Joe DuPree - Pick 20 (TE - Michigan State)
1972: Bill Thomas - Pick 26 (RB - Boston College)
1971: Tody Smith - Pick 25 (DE - USC)
1970: Duane Thomas - Pick 23 (RB - West Texas State)
1969: Calvin Hill - Pick 24 (RB - Yale)
1968: Dennis Homan - Pick 20 (DE - Alabama)
1967: No pick
1966: John Niland - Pick 5 (G - Iowa)
1965: Craig Morton - Pick 5 (QB - California)
1964: Scott Appleton - Pick 4 (T - Texas)
1963: Lee Roy Jordan - Pick 6 (LB - Alabama)
1962: No pick
1961: Bob Lilly - Pick 13 (DT - TCU)

Who will the Dallas Cowboys pick first in 2024?

Our NFL expert predicts that the Cowboys might select Oregon C Jackson Powers-Johnson with the 24th pick in this year's NFL Draft. Check out the complete Dallas Cowboys mock draft for more.