DMN: The five best Dallas Cowboys RBs of all time, ranked

The five best Dallas Cowboys RBs of all time, ranked: We know 1-2, who's in the 3-4-5 spots?
By SportsDayDFW.com

Editor's note: SportsDay continues its series attempting to figure out the best Dallas Cowboys players at each position. Today, we examine running backs.

The Dallas Cowboys' organization is one of great success and has an illustrious history. There have been some big names who have worn jerseys for America's Team.

Out of all of the running backs in franchise history, who was the best? That's what our panel of writers and columnists tried to determine.

Voters each named their top five running backs. A first-place vote counted for five points, second place gets four points, third place gets three points and so on.

Those who listed their top five players include Brandon George, Kate Hairopoulos, David Moore, Jon Machota, Tim Cowlishaw, Rick Gosselin and Kevin Sherrington.

Here's how they broke it down:

1. Emmitt Smith, 35 points (7 first-place votes)
2. Tony Dorsett, 28 points
3. Herschel Walker, 21 points
4. Calvin Hill, 12 points
5. Don Perkins, 7 points

Others receiving votes

DeMarco Murray, 2 points

The rundown

George: Top 3 on this list were as dominant as any RB could be in their prime.

Hairopoulos: Study up, Zeke.

Moore: How can NFL all-time rushing leader and winner of Dancing with the Stars not top the list?

Machota: Too early to put Ezekiel Elliott in the top 5? OK, I'll leave him out. He'll be there soon enough.

Cowlishaw: Dorsett entered league with more fanfare, Smith left with it.

Gosselin: When the Cowboys run the ball, as they did with Smith and Dorsett, they win Super Bowls.

Sherrington: Emmitt was perfect RB for Cowboys of his era: Tough, durable, ball control.

Elliott should be 3rd once he's done as long as we have a decent enough team around him.

Simpleton said:

Elliott should be 3rd once he's done as long as we have a decent enough team around him.

Click to expand...

With this line he could be better than third.

mschmidt64 said:

With this line he could be better than third.

Click to expand...

But when Romo leaves the OL's greatness gets blunted by a lot, otherwise I'd agree he could challenge Dorsett.

Dorsett had Staubach, a strong defense, and a solid Danny White for most of his career.

Walker had one of the worst talent bases around him I've seen in Dallas and still dominated.

Emmitt had everything, including no free agency for three years.

Zeke is also going to play in a committee regardless of what we'd like to think, and that will be good for his longevity but will kill any kind of crazy rushing titles or records.

I'm more interested in how they'd rank the next tier that's composed of the Dan reeves, Garrison, Newhouse, MBIII, Duane Thomas variety.