5 Best & Worst Draft Picks of Jerry Jones's Career

Dallas Cowboys team owner Jerry Jones can be a draft guru. Under his watch, the team picked up quarterback Troy Aikman and running back Emmitt Smith. He's made some very savvy and shrewd NFL moves that have made out well for his team.

But he's also had some duds. Remember when he drafted Shante Carver 23rd in the 1994 draft? If not, look him up because his NFL failure is pretty epic.

Jones can have the magic tough and the kiss of death all in one draft. He's innovative and shortsighted at the same time. He's been good for the league and his vision has sometimes come at the cost of the Cowboys success.

Before we continue to speak well and ill of Mr. Jones, lets take a look at 5 of Jerry's best and worst draft picks.

Best: Emmitt Smith, 1st Round, 17th Pick, 1990

Smith is the NFL's all-time leading rusher. He has three Super Bowls and an NFL and Super Bowl MVP to match. Do I really have to say anything else?

He's one of the greatest to ever do it and he was drafted the year after Jones purchased the team.

Troy Aikman, 1st Round, 1st Pick, 1989

Aikman is a Hall of Fame quarterback with three Super Bowls and a lifetime of achievement. He passed for over 32,000 yards in his career and is labeled as one of the most efficient passers in NFL history.

Aikman is now in the booth calling football games with commentator Joe Buck. But before he decided to give TV a try, he was wowing audiences in Dallas with his right arm.

Larry Allen, 2nd Round, 46th Pick, 1994

Allen was a great pick-up by Dallas and was on the Cowboys offensive line for years. 

Allen was long considered to be the strongest man in the NFL and would routinely toss aside defensive tackles like rag dolls. Because of his presence, the Cowboys were able to win another Super Bowl in 1995. 

DeMarcus Ware, 1st Round, 11th Pick, 2005

Ware will be a Hall of Famer barring injury. He has almost 100 sacks in seven seasons and is one of the greatest defensive players in Cowboys history.

He's speedy, nimble, strong, and loves to eat quarterbacks.

Darren Woodson, 2nd Round, 37th Pick, 1992

Woody is one of my all-time favorite players. He always put everything on the line and sacrificed his body for the good football play.

He was so physical and could cover at the same time.

Worst: Shante Carver, 1st Round, 23rd Pick, 1994

Carver played in 53 games and amassed 11 sacks. He was a large disappointment and it did not take long for him to find a way out of the league.

Jones wasted a pick on Carver, but hindsight is always 20/20.

David LaFleur, 1st Round, 22 Pick, 1997

it was thought that LaFleur would be the next Jay Novacek. Or I should say he was supposed to be the next great Dallas tight end.

He had only 729 receiving yards and 85 catches in just four seasons. He was a large disappointment.

Bobby Carpenter, 1st Round, 18th Pick, 2007

Carpenter was picked pretty high in the first round and never panned out for Dallas. He was beat often in pass coverage and didn't seem to grasp the Cowboys defense.

Carpenter is no longer with the team, but he's still friends with quarterback Tony Romo.

Quincy Carter, 2nd Round, 53rd Round, 2001

He led the Cowboys to a playoff birth, but after that, was never the same. He was a second round pick, which makes his lack of impact not as significant.

Carter has struggled with substance abuse for years, but he seems to have his life back together.

Markus Steele, 4th Round, 122nd Pick, 2001

Steele was supposed to patrol the middle for the Cowboys, but he never panned out. He played three full seasons and only recorded 46 total tackles.