The biggest draft steal in Dallas Cowboys history is none other than Roger Staubach, as voted on by the Blogging The Boys community. You can read my initial profile on Roger the Dodger here.
It is hard to argue that a quarterback selected in the tenth round who goes on to be perhaps the best quarterback in Cowboys history is a draft steal. Staubach accomplished an incredible feat by coming back to football after serving a four year obligation with the Navy. Not only was able to make the team, he took over the starting job and led the Cowboys to two Super Bowl victories. He was the brains behind the infamous "Hail Mary" play and was one of the greatest quarterbacks ever in fourth quarter comebacks.
If it was my decision, however, this distinction would go to "Bullet" Bob Hayes. When the Cowboys drafted Staubach they knew what kind of football player he was, they just weren't certain what kind he would be after four years in the Navy. With Hayes, it was a crapshoot. Here was a man who played football in a very small college but was a incredible track star. The Cowboys hoped they might be able to turn that speed into an offensive weapon and saw little risk in taking a chance with a seventh round pick. Bob Hayes would not only excel, he would single handedly change the game of football. His speed forced the development of the zone defense and changed how wide receivers were used by the offense. Quite a feat for a seventh rounder.
The biggest disappointment in Cowboys draft history is DT Danny Noonan, selected in the first round of the 1987 draft.
Well, no. Not that Danny Noonan. Although it does go to show that any football player with the same name as a Caddyshack character probably never really had a chance to start with. When looking for a picture of the Dallas Cowboys' Noonan, I came up blank. That is how much of a bust Noonan turned out to be.
Per the voting by the BTB community, he was tied with TE David LaFleur. I voted and the tie-breaker went to the disappointing defensive tackle. While LaFleur was certainly a draft bust, his career was cut short by injury while Noonan quite simply flamed out. It was hoped that Noonan would be able to step in and be a spark plug on a team that was flailing its arms in the late 1980's. Instead he barely made the team and was eventually cut by Jimmy Johnson. It has been revealed that Noonan was big-time steroid abuser and it stands to reason that this was ultimately his downfall.