Herschel Walker: 5th-round gamble launched a Cowboys’ dynasty

The Cowboys seem to be allergic when it comes to 5th-round picks in the NFL Draft. In 19 of their 62 drafts, they have traded away their pick in the fifth round.

But when they have picked a player in the fifth, they’ve made it count.

Nowhere is that more apparent than in 1985.

The Cowboys took a flyer that spring on a player who hadn’t been in college for two years but had been playing in the USFL.

DALLAS, TX – CIRCA 1980’s: Running back Herschel Walker #34 of the Dallas Cowboys carries the ball during a late circa 1980’s NFL football game at Texas Stadium in Dallas, Texas. Walker played for the Cowboys from 1986-89 and 1996-97. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)

Herschel Walker would rush for over 2,400 yards for the New Jersey Generals that spring and not even join the Cowboys until the 1986 season after the USFL folded.

But the gamble paid off.

Walker eventually became the starting running back and would pile up nearly 3,300 yards in 49 games — 41 as a starter. But his biggest payoff for Dallas would come after the fifth game of the 1989 season.

The Greatest Theft In NFL History

Dallas sent Herschel Walker and three draft picks (two thirds and a tenth) to Minnesota and in return, Dallas received four players and eight draft picks.

The trade also involved the Chargers, who got Running Back Darrin Nelson from the Vikings in exchange for San Diego’s fifth-round pick in 1990.

The Picks the Cowboys got were turned into three key cogs in their dynasty run: Emmitt Smith, Russell Maryland, and Darren Woodson.

At the time, Minnesota was thought to have won the deal and local Dallas media sharply criticized it.

History says the Cowboys robbed the Vikings blind.

Picks Aided 1970s Title Teams

The round has produced some quality players for Dallas over the decades.

Walt Garrison (1964) and Blaine Nye (1968) helped fuel Dallas’ success in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Ron Springs was selected in 1979 and was a huge complement to Tony Dorsett in the 1980s.

Oddly enough, considering how often Dallas shed its fifth-rounders, the Cowboys made four picks in the fifth round of last year’s draft.

The jury is still out on how wisely they picked.

The Dallas Cowboys’ all-time fifth-round picks:

1961 No Pick

1962 No Pick

1963 No Pick

1964 No Pick

1965 Roger Pettee Linebacker

1966 Walt Garrison Fullback

1967 No Pick

1968 Blaine Nye Guard

1969 Chuck Kyle Linebacker

1970 No Pick

1971 Ron Kadziel Linebacker

1972 No Pick

1973 Bruce Walton Offensive Tackle

1974 John Kelsey Offensive Tackle

1975 Kyle Davis Center

1976 Wally Pesuit Offensive Tackle

1977 Andy Frederick Offensive Tackle

1978 Rich Rosen Guard

1979 Bob Hukill Guard; Curtis Anderson Defensive End; Ron Springs Running Back

1980 Gary Hogeboom Quarterback

1981 Danny Spradlin Linebacker

1982 Phil Pozderac Offensive Tackle

1983 Chuck McSwain Running Back

1984 Steve Pelluer Quarterback; Norm Granger Running Back

1985 Herschel Walker Running Back; Matt Darwin Center

1986 No Pick

1987 Everett Gay Wide Receiver

1988 No Pick

1989 Keith Jennings Tight End; Willis Crockett Linebacker; Jeff Roth Defensive Tackle

1990 Stan Smagala Defensive Back

1991 Darrick Brownlow Linebacker

1992 Greg Briggs Defensive Back; Rod Milstead Guard

1993 No Pick

1994 No Pick

1995 Ed Hervey Wide Receiver; Dana Howard Linebacker

1996 Kenneth McDaniel Guard; Alan Campos Linebacker

1997 No Pick

1998 Darren Hambrick Linebacker; Oliver Ross Offensive Tackle

1999 No Pick

2000 Michael Wiley Running Back

2001 Matt Lehr Guard

2002 Pete Hunter Defensive Back

2003 No Pick

2004 Sean Ryan Tight End

2005 No Pick

2006 Pat Watkins Safety

2007 No Pick

2008 Orlando Scandrick Cornerback

2009 DeAngelo Smith Cornerback; Michael Hamlin Safety; David Buehler Kicker

2010 No Pick

2011 Josh Thomas Cornerback

2012 Danny Coale Wide Receiver

2013 Joseph Randle Running Back

2014 Devin Street Wide Receiver

2015 Ryan Russell Defensive End

2016 No Pick

2017 No Pick

2018 Mike White Quarterback

2019 Michael Jackson Cornerback; Joe Jackson Defensive End

2020 Bradlee Anae Defensive End

2021 Simi Fehoko Wide Receiver

2022 Matt Waletzko Offensive Tackle; DaRon Bland Cornerback; Damone Clark Linebacker; John Ridgeway III Defensive Tackle