Inside The Star
The NFC Playoff picture is two teams shorter after the Los Angeles Rams knocked off the hosting Carolina Panthers in a 34-31 thriller.
Later that evening, another ESPN Instant Classic was held at Soldier Field, where Caleb Williams and the Bears erased a 21-6 deficit in the second half to defeat the visiting Green Bay Packers.
Even though the Dallas Cowboys won’t be on the field this postseason, I’m happy that the other teams have already made the postseason so entertaining.
As Cowboys fans, we can now turn our attention to the NFL Draft in April, and begin deciding which college players we would like to see in navy and white.
Earlier this morning, I wrote about the Cowboys’ history with the 12th pick in the draft, and how the franchise fared with those picks.
Due to the Micah Parsons trade, the Cowboys also own the Packers’ first round pick for the 2025 NFL Draft.
The second-best scenario happened for the Cowboys when the Panthers lost at home to the visiting Rams.
Dallas had a chance for the 19th pick in the draft as long as the Panthers won and the Packers lost.
One of those things came true, and it locked the Cowboys in as the 20th pick in the upcoming draft.
The 12th pick had gems like WR Alvin Harper, LB Micah Parsons, and OL Tyler Booker.
What does the 20th pick have in store?
The Dallas Cowboys have selected 20th in the NFL Draft five times in their history, and four of those five picks have been solid contributors to the franchise.
The first time the Cowboys picked 20th, they selected WR Dennis Homan in 1972.
Homan managed just 37 catches for 619 yards and two touchdowns.
DT Kelvin Pritchett was the 20th pick for the Cowboys in 1991, but had minimal impact before moving on.
TE Billy Joe Dupree, 1973
In the 1983 NFL Draft, quarterbacks like Jim Kelly, Dan Marino, and John Elway stole the headlines, but the Cowboys made an underrated selection with the 20th pick.
Tom Landry and his staff selected TE Billy Joe Dupree from Michigan State University.
Dupree brought a different element over the middle of the field for QB Roger Staubach to throw to.
Staubach and Dupree had a solid connection, and the latter finished his career with three Pro Bowl selections and two Super Bowl rings.
Dupree caught at least 29 passes in each of his first eight healthy seasons, and finished his career with 267 receptions for 3,565 yards and 41 touchdowns.
DE Ebenezer Ekuban, 1999
The 1999 NFL Draft was an important one for the Cowboys because they were trying to keep the 90’s dynasty afloat.
They selected DE Ebenezer Ekuban with the 20th pick, and he was an impact player for the Cowboys for the duration of his rookie contract.
Ekuban set the edge for the Cowboys for five seasons, recording 12.5 sacks and 18 tackles for loss before leaving in free...
