Linebacker Sean Lee in 2010. Linebacker Bruce Carter in 2011. No one in 2012. Tight end Gavin Escobar in 2013. Defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence in 2014. Defensive end Randy Gregory in 2015. And linebacker Jaylon Smith in 2016.
What do all these players have in common? They were all prospects taken in the second round by the Dallas Cowboys in their respective NFL Drafts. And all of them constitute a gamble taken by the team, but more specifically, by owner and general manager Jerry Jones. And it could be the fatal flaw in what has become an outstanding draft philosophy as of late.