The 2024 NFL regular season has come to a close and, thanks to a 7-10 record, the Dallas Cowboys’ season is over for good after failing to qualify for the playoffs. Dallas’ playoff hopes were dashed for good after the Washington Commanders upset the Philadelphia Eagles in week 16.
Playing just for pride over the final two weeks of the season, the Cowboys lost handily in Philadelphia with most of the starters still in the lineup in the penultimate weekend of the regular season. Sunday’s loss to the Commanders was much more competitive, but the defense could not stop QB Marcus Mariota on the final drive of the game, and he ultimately ended up throwing the game-winning touchdown to WR Terry McLaurin.
It would have been nice to end the season on a high note, but draft enthusiasts will tell you that the loss was the best thing that could have happened to the Cowboys. With the loss on Sunday, they clinched the #12 overall pick in the draft, and were an Arizona Cardinals’ victory away from leapfrogging San Francisco for the 11th overall pick.
Unless Owner/GM Jerry Jones trades out of the pick this coming April, this will be just the fourth time in franchise history that a Cowboys’ draft pick will be called to the stage in the 12th slot of the 1st round. The previous three players to hold that honor for the Cowboys turned out a little more than okay.
DT Danny Noonan
I consider myself to be a knowledgeable Cowboys fan, but I have to admit that DT Danny Noonan is a player who I had never heard of. It could be because he was drafted in the 1987 NFL Draft, so I was only about 4 months old, and he left the Cowboys at the start of the 1992 season before I began to pay attention to football.
Noonan played college at the University of Nebraska, where he earned many accolades playing both defensive tackle and defensive end. The Cowboys drafted Noonan to be the eventual successor to Hall of Fame DT Randy White, and although he was a solid player, he never quite lived up to the bill.
Noonan played five full seasons with the Cowboys, plus the first two games of the 1992 season before being released to make room for DT Russell Maryland’s return from injury. He was signed by the Green Bay Packers, but only played six games, which happened to be the final six games of his career.
He finished his Cowboys’ career with 15.0 sacks, one interception returned for touchdown, and a safety. Tackles were not yet a recorded stat.
WR Alvin Harper
The next time the Cowboys owned the 12th overall pick of the draft was a short four years later in 1991. This time, WR Michael Irvin needed a reliable running mate. WR Alvin Harper was the pick, and joined the Cowboys after playing his college ball at the University of Tennessee.
Even though he never recorded more than 36 receptions in a single season with the Cowboys, he was an integral part of the dynasty born in the early 90s. Harper was a tall downfield threat that gave QB Troy Aikman a reliable target opposite Michael Irvin.
Harper is most remembered for his long catch and run late in the 4th quarter of the 1992 NFC Championship Game at Candlestick Park against the San Francisco 49ers. That play put the Cowboys in scoring position, and they would score a touchdown to put the 49ers away for good.
Alvin Harper played only four seasons for the Cowboys before departing for a big contract in free agency. He finished his Cowboys career with 124 receptions for 2,486 yards and 18 touchdown grabs. His 20.0 yards per reception average is tied with “Bullet” Bob Hayes for the highest average in franchise history among players with more than a handful of receptions.
LB Micah Parsons
The last Cowboys player to be drafted 12th overall was a short four years ago. The Cowboys originally owned the 10th overall pick of the draft, but they traded back two spots with the Philadelphia Eagles for the 12th position.
Philadelphia chose WR Devonta Smith, and the Cowboys chose LB Micah Parsons from Penn State University. I don’t have to spend too much time explaining who Parsons is, and the impact he has had on the team.
Parsons is now one of the most-feared pass rushers in the NFL, and his career is on a Hall of Fame trajectory after just four seasons. In 63 games, Micah has accumulated 256 tackles, 63 tackles for loss, 112 QB hits, and 52.5 sacks.
If the Cowboys’ 12th pick in the upcoming draft is anything like his previous counterparts, the Cowboys should be in good shape.