Dallas Cowboys 1975 Draft: The Dirty Dozen, One Of The Best Ever

The 1975 NFL Draft took place a mere two weeks after Super Bowl IX. The Dallas Cowboys finished that season with an 8-6 record and out of the playoffs for the first time in nine years.

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The upcoming draft would be a critical turnaround point for the Cowboys. And Dallas would use it to instantly retool their roster to get back to the Super Bowl later that season.

Eleven of the below picks and one undrafted free agent would go on to make this team’s final roster. Therefore, this draft class is known as The Dirty Dozen. And it’s considered one of the best drafts in NFL history.

Here were the selections in that talented draft class:

1 Round, 2nd Overall: Randy White, DT, Maryland – Nine-time Pro Bowl and All-Pro first team selection, Super Bowl champion and co-MVP (1977), Hall of Famer (one of only three in this draft)

1 Round, 18th Overall: Thomas Henderson, LB, Langston – Memorable seven-year NFL career, Pro Bowl selection in 1978, Super Bowl champion (1977)

2nd Round, 44th Overall: Burton Lawless, OG, Florida – Played six seasons in the NFL, named to league’s All-Rookie team (1975), Super Bowl champion (1977)

3rd Round, 70th Overall: Bob Breunig, LB, Arizona State – Had a nine-year career with the Cowboys, three-time Pro Bowl selection, Super Bowl champion (1977)

4th Round, 90th Overall: Pat Donovan, OT, Stanford – Never missed a game in nine seasons with the Cowboys, four-time Pro Bowler, Super Bowl champion (1977)

4th Round, 96th Overall: Randy Hughes, DB, Oklahoma – played six season in Dallas, injuries limited his career, Super Bowl champion (1977)

5th Round, 113th Overall: Kyle Davis, C, Oklahoma – Was the center during the Hail Mary pass, played two seasons in Dallas, landed on injured reserved in 1976, traded the next season, bounced around the league until 1979.

6th Round, 148th Overall: Roland Rolly Woolsey, DB, Boise State – played mostly special teams his rookie season, then selected by the Seattle Seahawks in 1976’s expansion draft. Played on three teams the next three years.

7th Round, 173th Overall: Mike Hegman, LB, Tennessee State – Played 12 years for the Cowboys, Super Bowl champion (1977)

8th Round, 200th Overall: Mitch Hoopes, P, Arizona – Played one season in Dallas, then was traded when quarterback/punter Danny White arrived. Then he played on five different teams in three seasons.

9th Round, 226th Overall: Ed Jones, DB, Rutgers – Ended up playing in Buffalo his rookie season. Went on to win five Grey Cups with the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League.

10th Round, 252th Overall: Dennis Booker, RB, Millersville

11th Round, 278th Overall: Greg Krpalek, C, Oregon State

12th Round, 304th Overall: Chuck Bland, DB, Cincinnati

13th Round, 330th Overall: Herbert Scott, OG, Virginia Union – Played 10 years for the Cowboys, three-time Pro Bowler, Super Bowl champion (1977)

14th Round, 356th Overall: Scott Laidlaw, RB, Stanford – Six year NFL career, Super Bowl champion (1977)

15th Round, 382th Overall: Willie Hamilton, RB, Arizona

16th Round, 407th Overall: Pete Clark, TE, Colorado State

17th Round, 434th Overall: Jim Testerman, TE, Dayton

Undrafted Free Agent – Percy Howard, WR, Austin Peay – The college basketball player who never played organized football ended up playing only one season for the Cowboys. A knee injury would eventually end his career two seasons later. He made only one catch for Dallas, a touchdown reception in Super X.

Undrafted Free Agent – Jim Zorn, QB, Cal Poly Pomona – He was cut by the Cowboys his rookie season to make room for running back Preston Pearson. Ended up being named NFC Offensive Rookie of the Year as a member of the Seattle Seahawks. Had an 11-year NFL career and was inducted into the Seahawks’ Ring of Honor in 1991.

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