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The 5 worst Dallas Cowboys draft picks of the Jerry Jones era: busts, what-ifs and more
Taco Charlton over TJ Watt? Here are the lowlights of Jones’ tenure as owner of the Cowboys.
David LaFleur
Draft: 1997, first round, 22nd overall
Some very productive tight ends have played for the Cowboys through the years. David LaFleur was not among them. The Cowboys used their first-round pick in the 1997 draft on LaFleur with the hope he would pick up where Jay Novacek left off. He was big, strong and a first-team All-American at LSU. He had promise.
It never materialized.
LaFleur’s size proved to be a detriment as a receiver. He was more lumbering than elusive and never caught a pass that went for more than 25 yards during his NFL career. LaFleur’s four seasons with the Cowboys were the only four years he spent in the NFL. He finished with 85 receptions for 729 yards and 12 touchdowns. Despite starting 44 games, LaFleur gained more than 200 yards in a season only once.
Shante Carver
Draft: 1994, first round, 23rd overall
Position: Defensive end
Nine years after taking Kevin Brooks in the first round, Carver didn’t provide much more of an impact. He also played for four seasons and finished with 11.5 sacks. Like Brooks, he never forced a fumble.
His biggest impact came with the Dallas Desperados in the Arena Football League after playing for the Memphis Maniax of the XFL once his career with the Cowboys was over.
Bobby Carpenter
Draft: 2006, first round, 18th overall
Position: Linebacker
The Cowboys saw something in Carpenter that few, if any, other NFL teams did and believed he could play inside in a 3-4 defense. Carpenter’s game was based more upon speed and pass coverages than point-of-attack strength, and he was ill-equipped for the role.
The blame falls upon the Cowboys’ scouting department, not Carpenter. Coach Wade Phillips found a role for Carpenter in 2009. Used primarily in pass-coverage situations, Carpenter had two sacks and participated in 46 tackles. In his first three seasons combined, Carpenter had only 1 ½ sacks while participating in 50 tackles. He was traded to the Rams in 2010.
Taco Charlton
Draft: 2017 first round, 28th overall
Position: Defensive end
Had little to no impact on the team. The Cowboys took him over TJ Watt — even though they considered Watt more talented — because he better fit the template of a DE in the scheme the team employed in 2017.
Charlton’s selection was something of a turning point in these days, where the club now says go with the best player and tweak the system. In two seasons with the Cowboys, Charlton recorded four sacks and started seven games. He played for four other teams after being released by Dallas in 2019, and in 2024 signed with the UFL’s Birmingham Stallions.
Dwayne Goodrich
Draft: 2000, second round, 49th overall
Position: Cornerback
Goodrich was a bust on the field and a tragic figure off it.
On Jan. 14, 2003, Goodrich was involved in a hit-and-run accident in which two men who were trying to help another motorist on I-35 E were killed. Goodrich was sentenced to a 12.5-year combined sentence for vehicular homicide and failure to stop and render aid and was eventually released Oct. 2011.
Goodrich was the Cowboys’ first pick of the 2000 draft. It was a puzzling pick in light of his limited success in college. Goodrich had trouble getting on the field for the Cowboys. In two seasons with the club, he made only one start and appeared in just 16 games.
Goodrich’s troubles set the tone for what became a cursed draft class. The Cowboys had only five picks in 2000. Just one of the selections, cornerback Mario Edwards, found meaningful playing time for more than three years in the NFL.
Taco Charlton over TJ Watt? Here are the lowlights of Jones’ tenure as owner of the Cowboys.
David LaFleur
Draft: 1997, first round, 22nd overall
Some very productive tight ends have played for the Cowboys through the years. David LaFleur was not among them. The Cowboys used their first-round pick in the 1997 draft on LaFleur with the hope he would pick up where Jay Novacek left off. He was big, strong and a first-team All-American at LSU. He had promise.
It never materialized.
LaFleur’s size proved to be a detriment as a receiver. He was more lumbering than elusive and never caught a pass that went for more than 25 yards during his NFL career. LaFleur’s four seasons with the Cowboys were the only four years he spent in the NFL. He finished with 85 receptions for 729 yards and 12 touchdowns. Despite starting 44 games, LaFleur gained more than 200 yards in a season only once.
Shante Carver
Draft: 1994, first round, 23rd overall
Position: Defensive end
Nine years after taking Kevin Brooks in the first round, Carver didn’t provide much more of an impact. He also played for four seasons and finished with 11.5 sacks. Like Brooks, he never forced a fumble.
His biggest impact came with the Dallas Desperados in the Arena Football League after playing for the Memphis Maniax of the XFL once his career with the Cowboys was over.
Bobby Carpenter
Draft: 2006, first round, 18th overall
Position: Linebacker
The Cowboys saw something in Carpenter that few, if any, other NFL teams did and believed he could play inside in a 3-4 defense. Carpenter’s game was based more upon speed and pass coverages than point-of-attack strength, and he was ill-equipped for the role.
The blame falls upon the Cowboys’ scouting department, not Carpenter. Coach Wade Phillips found a role for Carpenter in 2009. Used primarily in pass-coverage situations, Carpenter had two sacks and participated in 46 tackles. In his first three seasons combined, Carpenter had only 1 ½ sacks while participating in 50 tackles. He was traded to the Rams in 2010.
Taco Charlton
Draft: 2017 first round, 28th overall
Position: Defensive end
Had little to no impact on the team. The Cowboys took him over TJ Watt — even though they considered Watt more talented — because he better fit the template of a DE in the scheme the team employed in 2017.
Charlton’s selection was something of a turning point in these days, where the club now says go with the best player and tweak the system. In two seasons with the Cowboys, Charlton recorded four sacks and started seven games. He played for four other teams after being released by Dallas in 2019, and in 2024 signed with the UFL’s Birmingham Stallions.
Dwayne Goodrich
Draft: 2000, second round, 49th overall
Position: Cornerback
Goodrich was a bust on the field and a tragic figure off it.
On Jan. 14, 2003, Goodrich was involved in a hit-and-run accident in which two men who were trying to help another motorist on I-35 E were killed. Goodrich was sentenced to a 12.5-year combined sentence for vehicular homicide and failure to stop and render aid and was eventually released Oct. 2011.
Goodrich was the Cowboys’ first pick of the 2000 draft. It was a puzzling pick in light of his limited success in college. Goodrich had trouble getting on the field for the Cowboys. In two seasons with the club, he made only one start and appeared in just 16 games.
Goodrich’s troubles set the tone for what became a cursed draft class. The Cowboys had only five picks in 2000. Just one of the selections, cornerback Mario Edwards, found meaningful playing time for more than three years in the NFL.
The 5 worst Dallas Cowboys draft picks of the Jerry Jones era: busts, what-ifs and more
Taco Charlton over TJ Watt? Here are the lowlights of Jones’ tenure as owner of the Cowboys.
www.dallasnews.com
