By all accounts, the Cowboys entered the 2021 NFL Draft with every intention of drafting a cornerback - whether he be named Jaycee Horn or Patrick Surtain II - with the tenth overall pick. When Horn came off the board at eight and Surtain immediately followed him, Dallas traded back two spots and selected Penn State linebacker Micah Parsons.
The pick was initially criticized for a number of reasons, but Parsons quickly proved the doubters (myself included) very wrong. Parsons went on to have one of the greatest rookie seasons of any defender, easily winning Defensive Rookie of the Year and tying Aaron Donald for second-most votes for Defensive Player of the Year.