List of Dallas Cowboys first-round draft picks

[3] The Cowboys joined the NFL as an expansion team in 1960 and have played their home games at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, since 2009.

[9] The draft order is determined based on the previous season's standings; the teams with the worst win–loss records receive the earliest picks.

Teams that qualified for the NFL playoffs select after non-qualifiers, and their order depends on how far they advanced, using their regular season record as a tie-breaker.

[11] The team's first pick in their inaugural NFL draft was Bob Lilly, a defensive tackle from Texas Christian University; he was the 13th overall selection.

[11] Seven of the team's first-round picks—Troy Aikman, Tony Dorsett, Michael Irvin, Bob Lilly, Emmitt Smith, DeMarcus Ware, and Randy White—have been elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Head shot of Troy Aikman.
The Cowboys drafted quarterback Troy Aikman first overall in the 1989 NFL draft . Aikman spent his entire 12-year career with Dallas and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2006. [ 1 ] [ 2 ]
Emmitt Smith in a suit at Super Bowl 44.
Running back Emmitt Smith was drafted by the Cowboys in 1990 and inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2010. He spent 13 seasons with the Cowboys, during which time he was named NFL MVP , was a 5-time All-Pro , made eight Pro Bowls , and became the league's all-time leader in career rushing yards and rushing touchdowns . [ 17 ] [ 18 ] [ 19 ] [ 20 ]
Randy White signing autographs.
Randy White was drafted by the Cowboys with the 2nd overall pick of the 1975 NFL draft . He spent his whole career with the Cowboys, during which time he was a seven-time first-team All-Pro , nine-time Pro Bowler , and Super Bowl XII MVP. [ 21 ] White was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1994 and was selected for the NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team . [ 22 ] [ 23 ]
Michael Irvin smiling and from about the waste up in a brown suit.
Wide receiver Michael Irvin was drafted with the 11th pick of the 1988 NFL draft . [ 24 ] Irvin spent his whole career with the Cowboys, during which time he was a three-time All-Pro , five-time Pro Bowler , and led the league in receiving yards in 1991 . [ 24 ] [ 25 ] A member of the Dallas Cowboys Ring of Honor , he was selected to the NFL 1990s All-Decade Team and inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2007. [ 25 ] [ 26 ]
Micah Parsons from about the waist up in a Dallas Cowboys jersey and no helmet.
Micah Parsons is a linebacker who was drafted 12th overall in the 2021 NFL draft . [ 27 ] He has been an All-Pro and Pro Bowler every season he's been in the NFL and won the 2021 Defensive Rookie of the Year Award . [ 27 ] He was also the recipient of the 2021 Butkus Award . [ 28 ]