If there’s anything the Dallas Cowboys have done well for themselves, it’s the NFL Draft—their bread and butter for team building and talent acquisition.

Their hits continue to be the first-round selections, with very few misses (Taco Charlton, Felix Jones, etc.) in the last 15 years who didn’t end up as a Pro Bowler and franchise cornerstone-type player.

Really, it was the 2005 class that was the first run in a 20-year time span that the Cowboys had a draft that was as effective from the start until the end. DeMarcus Ware, Marcus Spears, Marion Barber, and Jay Ratliff are the heavy hitters who lead the charge for the late 00s Cowboys.

However, when it comes to their overall draft selections over the last 20 years, their successful run of all-around draft classes didn’t really start to take off until the 2016 class.

2016 Dallas Cowboys Draft Class

  • Round 1: RB Ezekiel Elliott
  • Round 2: LB Jaylon Smith
  • Round 3: DL Maliek Collins 
  • Round 4 (2): DE Charles Tapper, QB Dak Prescott
  • Round 6 (4): CB Anthony Brown, DB Kavon Frazier, RB Darius Jackson, TE Rico Gathers

Ezekiel Elliott became a three-time Pro Bowler, missing time in 2017 due to a suspension that he fought for weeks to forgo—coming right out of the gates from Ohio State as one of the premiere running back talents to come into the NFL over the last decade.

Had a season-ending injury in 2020 to his quarterback not happened, it might not have affected his usefulness for what was the beginning of his decline.

However, for the 4.5 to 5 seasons that he was at his absolute best, Elliott was different. Arguably the best running back in the game and one of the best overall offensive weapons in football.

Jaylon Smith was a fantastic story. Having torn his ACL, MCL, and PCL in his final game at Notre Dame. Going from a sure-fire top-10 selection to a second-round pick in what would be a glorified red-shirt year.

However, he would also turn into a Pro Bowl linebacker and one of the league’s best tacklers before his peak soon faded around the 2020 season. While he didn’t have the longevity most would have desired, when he was at his best, there were very few who were better.

After Orlando Scandrick, the longest tenure of stability at cornerback the Cowboys have had was from their sixth-round rookie from Purdue.

His ability to play outside, as well as the slot, gave the Cowboys 94 games of mostly above-average play at cornerback, complimenting All-Pros like Byron Jones and Trevon Diggs—the lifeline of the secondary for nearly a decade.

It should be worth noting also that both Maliek Collins and Kavon Frazier both found success with and outside of the Cowboys. Collins still plays in the NFL today with the Houston Texans, while Frazier retired after six seasons, including time with the Miami Dolphins and Las Vegas Raiders.

Charles Tapper, Darius Jackson, and Rico Gathers bounced around for a pair of seasons but never stuck. Being a trio of players who ‘made it’ but didn’t leave much of an impact.

For the coup de grace is the fourth-round pick from Mississippi State. A seed that was laid following a strong preseason that landed him into the starting spot, and the limelight.

All this time later, the three-time Pro Bowler and Walter Payton Man of the Year winner is still manning the helm of the Dallas Cowboys. Planting himself as one of the games best quarterbacks.

While the Cowboys have had drafts with stars and others with duds, in recent memory, it’s hard to argue any draft class that left a bigger impact on Dallas than the 2016 class. With players still active in the league and a franchise quarterback to their credit, it’s second to none.

Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports