Quite frankly, the Dallas Cowboys are pretty good at drafting.
However, every franchise has a bust. It’s the nature of the job. In the history of the franchise, these players are the top five busts.
#5 Antonio Bryant: Round 2, No. 66 overall in 2002
Bryant had a lot of success in his rookie season, which featured 44 receptions for 733 yards and six touchdowns. After that, he became upset with his reps and was traded halfway through the 2004 season to the Cleveland Browns.
#4: David LaFleur: Round 1, No. 22 overall in 1997
The Cowboys thought that LaFleur would be the replacement for tight end Jay Novacek, but the team was greatly disappointed. He played just four seasons with the Cowboys. His best season was in 1999, when he finished with 35 receptions for 322 yards. Overall, he finished with 85 receptions for 729 yards and 12 touchdowns. Compared to Novacek, this was a bust.
#3: Ebenezer Ekuban: Round 1, No. 20 overall in 1999
The Cowboys struck out on trying to take care of the defensive line with this pick. He spent five seasons with the team, where he started for the Cowboys the final two seasons. He never became a consistent starter, and later blossomed with other teams.
#2: Morris Claiborne: Round 1, No. 6 overall in 2012
The Cowboys traded up to take Claiborne and he never lived up to being a top-10 pick. He started 15 games to start his career, but was never consistent. Then, over the course of four seasons, he never played in more than 11 games.
#1: Bobby Carpenter: Round 1, No. 18 overall in 2006
Carpenter’s dad played for Bill Parcells, who helped influence the decision to take him in the first round. However, the team should have used their heads. Carpenter started just three games over the course of his rookie contract. He finished with 3.5 sacks and was eventually traded to the Rams.