Sports

The Dallas Cowboys' 5 Worst Draft Picks in the Last 10 Years

By HC Green Lindys Sports

Updated June 1, 2026 9:21 AM

Drafting is an inexact science. Even the best of the best miss for any number of reasons-injuries, poor scheme fit, off-the-field issues, lack of development, and so on. With the 2026 NFL Draft now in the rearview mirror, things should be quiet on the personnel side until training camps open in July.

With that in mind, it seems like the perfect time to go back over the last 10 drafts to identify picks which didn't pan out for each of the 32 clubs. Before we begin, let's set the ground rules: We're starting with the 2016 draft, so no players from the 2026 draft are eligible.

Now that we've established the parameters, here are the Dallas Cowboys' five worst draft picks of the past decade:

Dishonorable Mentions

DE Charles Tapper (101st Overall, 2016)
WR Jalen Tolbert (88th Overall, 2022)

5) LB Jaylon Smith, 34th Overall (2016)

Dallas rolled the dice on Smith, who had torn his ACL in his final game at Notre Dame, and got a decent return on investment initially that included a Pro Bowl selection in 2019. That netted him a five-year, $64 million extension through the 2024 season. It didn't pan out. Smith's play rapidly deteriorated and he was released in 2021.

arena photography — Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

4) TE Luke Schoonmaker, 58th Overall (2023)

The 2023 draft was lauded for its depth at the tight end position. Schoonmaker, the fifth one off the board, was expected to step in and start for Dallas, replacing Dalton Schultz. Instead, it was Jake Ferguson who emerged, leaving Schoonmaker to fill a supplemental role alongside undrafted Brevyn Spann-Ford. The next two tight ends taken: Brenton Strange and emerging All-Pro candidate Tucker Kraft.

3) DB Kelvin Joseph, 44th Overall (2021)

Selected near the top of Round 2 despite predraft concerns about maturity and commitment issues, Joseph failed to earn a starting job with Dallas. After two seasons, the Cowboys had seen enough, jettisoning him to Miami for fellow bust Noah Igbinoghene. The Dolphins cut him after four games, effectively ending his NFL career as he went to briefly appear for Miami, Seattle and Indy.

2) DL Trysten Hill, 58th Overall (2019)

Dallas' first pick in 2019, Hill, a part-time player at UCF, carried the always dangerous "upside" label thanks to his physical skills. Instead of reaching his potential, Hill became another instance of the scouting cliche, "Looks like Tarzan, plays like Jane." In 25 games for the Cowboys, Hill recorded just 33 tackles and is best remembered for injuring then-Seahawks RB Chris Carson with a "gator roll" tackle. He essentially was out of the NFL by 2022, appearing in three games over the following two seasons.

1) DE Taco Charlton, 28th Overall (2017)

In need of pass-rushing help with Randy Gregory facing a suspension, the Cowboys nabbed Charlton near the end of Round 1. He was slow to develop and fell out of favor early on, which led to his release just two weeks into his third season. In total, Charlton played 27 games for Dallas and logged four sacks. Meanwhile, T.J. Watt, drafted two spots later, has 115 sacks and is ticketed for a Gold Jacket when he retires.

This story was originally published June 1, 2026 at 9:00 AM.