DMN: The five best Dallas Cowboys WRs of all time, ranked: Lots of No. 88s

[Irving Cowboy]

The five best Dallas Cowboys WRs of all time, ranked: Lots of No. 88s ... how high up is Dez?
By SportsDayDFW.com

Editor's note: SportsDay continues its series attempting to figure out the best Dallas Cowboys players at each position. Today, we examine wide receivers.

The Dallas Cowboys' organization is one of great success and has an illustrious history. There have been some big names who have worn jerseys for America's Team.

Out of all of the wide receivers in franchise history, who was the best? That's what our panel of writers and columnists tried to determine.

Voters each named their top five wide receivers. A first-place vote counted for five points, second place gets four points, third place gets three points and so on.

Those who listed their top five players include Brandon George, Kate Hairopoulos, David Moore, Jon Machota, Tim Cowlishaw, Rick Gosselin and Kevin Sherrington.

Here's how they broke it down:
1. Michael Irvin, 35 points (7 first-place votes)
2. Bob Hayes, 25 points
3. Drew Pearson, 23 points
4. Dez Bryant, 15 points
5. Tony Hill, 5 points

Others receiving votes
Terrell Owens, 2 points

The rundown
George: The 88s have been great for a franchise that's been deep at the WR position.
Hairopoulos: Hit up the 50-yard Hail Mary from Staubach to Pearson on YouTube, just for fun.
Moore: T.O. had better career than Hill, but Hill more than doubles T.O. output with Cowboys.
Machota: Dez Bryant has the freakish ability and work ethic to one day top this list.
Cowlishaw: Cowboys have been more constantly loaded at this position than any other.
Gosselin: Irvin and Hayes are in the Hall of Fame and Pearson should be.
Sherrington: If Dez wants to climb this chart, better hook up with Romo while he can.

 

[Omegasupreme]

Okay, Playing the time machine game,

A) if you put Rocket Ismail or Miles Austin on the Tony Hill/Pearson Team would either be more productive than Tony Hill?
B) I assume Bob Hayes and Dez are both dominating in any era, but is Michael Irvin?
C) would Drew Pearson even make the current team today?

 

[dbair1967]

A) No
B) Yes
C) Sure he would

 

[bbgun]

C) would Drew Pearson even make the current team today?

you think Terence Williams is special or something? he probably won't be given an extension.

 

[theoneandonly]

T O really cant be considered a Cowboy, but I think he is better than all but the play maker. I dont think there has ever been a more over rated Cowboy than Dez, besides the fact he is injured too often, he also tends to disapear for stretches.

 

[theoneandonly]

you think Terence Williams is special or something? he probably won't be given an extension.

Not only did they discover he is not a number one last year, he is more like a two and a half.

 

[TheZoneSucks]

Okay, Playing the time machine game,

A) if you put Rocket Ismail or Miles Austin on the Tony Hill/Pearson Team would either be more productive than Tony Hill?
B) I assume Bob Hayes and Dez are both dominating in any era, but is Michael Irvin?
C) would Drew Pearson even make the current team today?

A) No.
b) Yes.
C) No problem for Drew to make the team, and be #1 wide receiver. He was better than Dez by a lot despite Dez being a better raw athlete. Drew was better at football at the NFL level. Plus I think your post smells a little bit like "current year" bias that seems to insist that athletes are always getting bigger, faster, and stronger which just simply isn't the case anymore. Boomer and Gen X athletes have been much better at football than the millennials. Those generations actually had tough practice all week long with tougher rules unlike today's spoiled athlete. Plus, I've never seen any modern football player that was faster in pads than Deion, Bo Jackson, Bob Hayes, and others. I have not seen any modern NFL player that was bigger than Kevin Gogan, or stronger than Larry Allen.

 

[dbair1967]

T O really cant be considered a Cowboy, but I think he is better than all but the play maker. I dont think there has ever been a more over rated Cowboy than Dez, besides the fact he is injured too often, he also tends to disapear for stretches.

No

 

[junk]

No

No to Dez being overrated or to TO?

I don't much care for TO but the guy was talented.

6th all time receptions, 2nd in yards, 3rd in TDs

Horrible teammate and a lifetime loser, but a phenomenal receiver. From a purely stats based perspective, over entire careers, he's the best of the bunch

 

[dbair1967]

TO did drop a lot of balls and was the epitome of a lockerroom cancer. Talented I wont argue with but I don't believe he gave two shits about winning or the players on his own teams.

Dez is definitely not overrated. If he played anywhere other than here, slob Cowboy fans that bash him would be stroking his johnson left and right about what a great player he was.

 

[junk]

TO did drop a lot of balls and was the epitome of a lockerroom cancer. Talented I wont argue with but I don't believe he gave two shits about winning or the players on his own teams.

Dez is definitely not overrated. If he played anywhere other than here, slob Cowboy fans that bash him would be stroking his johnson left and right about what a great player he was.

Sure, I agree from a locker room/winning standpoint. Not a fan of the guy and wouldn't want him on my team

But, from a pure receiving standpoint, he might be the best on that list over the course of his career

 

[Omegasupreme]

Bbgun. - I would get an extension before TWilly would. He's terrible. I'm thinking Drew was elite in that Cowboy system but I didn't see him as having elite in physical skills that might not translate to every system.

TZS: i said Bob Hayes would transcend eras. That's not zeitgeististic.