Dallas Cowboys draft: The 56th pick has historically been controversial

Previously, we looked at the level of success the Dallas Cowboys had when drafting with the 24th pick. Historically, this is a very successful selection for Dallas and should give fans a lot of confidence on day one.

But historically, their success in the second round has been very inconsistent. Looking back at recent history, front offices have weird philosophies around the second round that undo all the hard work they put in before and after the second round. Some of the players the team selected in the second round were real talents like Larry Allen. But recent history has been a bit hit and miss. Trevon Diggs and DeMarcus Lawrence are Dallas' most notable modern-day success stories in this range, but none of the players listed above are ranked No. 56.

Below is a list of the Cowboys' historic No. 56 picks and what they accomplished for their price points.

1978
TE, Todd Christensen
BYU

The Dallas Cowboys' first pick, No. 56, historically set the tone for the team. Christensen was a two-time All-Pro, five-time Pro Bowl, and two-time Super Bowl champion while playing tight end in the NFL. Unfortunately, none of that happened while in Dallas.

He was drafted as a running back by Dallas in 1978 to be Tony Dorsett's backup, and in the preseason he was a very good player and looked like he had plenty of potential. However, he injured his foot during the preseason and never made a single down play in his rookie year.

When he returned to health in 1979, the team pushed to line out Christensen at tight end, hoping that his size and speed would make him a reliable pass catcher and impossible to defend. He refused and discussed moving his position with coaches, but was later fired by Dallas. He later signed with Oakland and helped them win two Super Bowls while playing tight end.

Photo by Owen Shaw/Getty Images

2001
DB, Tony Dixon
Alabama

Officially, this pick was never supposed to be No. 56, but the Cowboys made it that way. two Before that, the Cowboys sent two first-round picks to the Seattle Seahawks in exchange for wide receiver Joey Galloway in hopes of finding an elite receiver to replace Michael Irvin. He suffered an injury that ended his career. Everyone remembers how Galloway's transfer came under fire and he only scored 12 touchdowns in the four years he played in Dallas. He tore his ACL in his first year playing for the Cowboys and was shipped to Tampa Bay for Keyshawn Johnson in 2004.

After the first round trade, the Cowboys traded down to Indianapolis from the 37th pick to the 52nd pick. They then traded down again at 52, opting for 56 with Miami to gain more capital. After all those moves, the Cowboys ultimately selected defensive back Tony Dixon in hopes of helping their stricken secondary. He only played four years and finished with 126 tackles, five tackles for loss, and one interception.

The irony for Dallas during this draft is that they spent a lot of energy and draft capital finding a wide receiver. However, Miami used the pick it traded with Dallas to select wide receiver Chris Chambers. He made the Pro Bowl and scored 11 touchdowns in two seasons.

Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

2022
DE, Sam Williams
Ole Miss

This choice is still debatable. With the moves Dallas made this offseason and the loss of several key rotation pass rushers, Sam Williams stands in pole position to be the third edge of the rotation. We've seen flashes of his explosiveness and athleticism, especially when used as a gunner on special teams.

Despite limited snaps on defense, Williams showed he has the potential to break out this year. He has played a total of 508 snaps on defense over the past two years, recording nine sacks, two fumbles, three fumble recoveries and 15 tackles for loss. Not a bad resume for a man with limited snapshots.

But there's a problem. He is a second-round pick who has yet to play a major role and is entering his third season. His trajectory looks like this is the season where he starts to pay back that high draft capital. He even has the potential to be Dallas' biggest breakout player this year. But if he fails to do so, he will join 56 other players who were unsuccessfully drafted.

Photo by Cooper Neal/Getty Images