NFL Spin Zone
Fansided

Dallas Cowboys: Re-drafting first-round picks from last 5 years

By Cody Williams

LOS ANGELES, CA - AUGUST 12: Taco Charlton #97 of the Dallas Cowboys celebrates his sack of quaterback Sean Mannion #13 of the Los Angeles Rams during the preseason game against the Los Angeles Rams at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on August 12, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - AUGUST 12: Taco Charlton #97 of the Dallas Cowboys celebrates his sack of quaterback Sean Mannion #13 of the Los Angeles Rams during the preseason game against the Los Angeles Rams at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on August 12, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
3 of 5
Next
Dallas Cowboys (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
Dallas Cowboys (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /

2017 NFL Draft, No. 28 Overall

Actual pick: Taco Charlton, EDGE, Michigan
Re-draft pick: T.J. Watt, EDGE, Wisconsin

Back in the 2017 NFL Draft, there was not much debate about what the Cowboys should try and do with the No. 28 overall selection. They found Ezekiel Elliott and Dak Prescott, among others, in the previous year’s draft and now it was time to fortify the defense. And that needed to start at defensive end to help boost the pass rush.

The debate throughout the draft process was whether or not Dallas should select Taco Charlton out of Michigan or T.J. Watt out of Wisconsin in order to do that. The decision was ultimately made and they decided that the former was their guy, the safer pick between the two options. And that turned out to be the absolute wrong call.

Over 27 games through two seasons with the Cowboys, Charlton was a complete bust and, frankly, a non-factor for the defense on a consistent basis. He managed a meager 4.0 sacks and only eight tackles for loss in his time with Dallas before they released him early in the 2019 season. And while he was picked up by Miami and played well there, he still has a lot of work to live up to where he was drafted.

What makes the Charlton pick look even worse is that Watt has developed into a bonafide stud. After a 7.0-sack season as a rookie, he’s been a monster with 27.5 combined sacks, 14 forced fumbles and 26 tackles for loss over the past two years. He’s one of the best edge rushers in the NFL and the Cowboys would certainly do most anything to have the chance to redo the 2017 draft and take Watt of Charlton.

Home/Dallas Cowboys