Best Dallas Cowboys player to wear No. 47 was an HBCU star before a 7-year NFL career

Welcome back to our series on the best Dallas Cowboys players to wear every jersey number from No. 0 to No. 99.

So, let's just get real from the get-go. With 100 numbers to get through, there are simply bound to be some that just don't have the greatest history, and No. 47 just happens to be one of them. It would be nice if we could just throw Michael Irvin in here, as that's the number he wore when playing for Jimmy Johnson at the University of Miami, but we obviously can't do that.

As such, let's look at our short list of choices for this entry.

Dextor Clinkscale, DB
Darius Harris, LB
Clayton Holmes, DB
Pete Hunter, DB
Ryan McNeil, DB
Dicky Moegle, DB
Eric Saubert, TE
Chuck Scott, WR
Lawrence Vickers, FB

Of the players listed, here, only three wore No. 47 for more than one season. And our winner does come from that trio, as the selection here is defensive back Dextor Clinkscale.

Now, for those unfamiliar, Clinkscale did find himself in some controversy after his career came to a close. We're not going to get into any of that here, as we've been trying our best to keep this series all about the football. That may not sit well with some, but that's where we are.

Dextor Clinkscale spent seven years in the NFL after going undrafted in 1980

A three-time All-MAC selection at South Carolina State and a Black College All-American in his final year with the team in 1979, Clinkscale went undrafted in 1980 before signing with Dallas as a free agent.

Playing mostly safety but filling in on the corners at times, mostly on passing downs, Clinkscale failed to start a single game as a rookie, and while he didn't record a single interception during the regular season, he did get his first career pick as a pro in the Cowboys' playoff-opening victory over the Los Angeles Rams.

The Greenville native was set up to battle for a starting spot at strong safety in his second season after Charlie Waters retired, but an Achilles injury suffered during the preseason put that to rest and cost him the entire year. He came back to play all nine games in the strike-shortened 1982 campaign but again failed to make a start, though he once again recorded an interception in the playoff opener.

Clinkscale finally cracked the starting lineup in 1983 at strong safety and maintained the role for three full seasons, starting all but one of the 48 total games in which he appeared between the regular season and postseason, tallying eight interceptions and 5.0 sacks in that three-season stretch from 1983 to 1985.

And that was literally it for his Cowboys career. He was with the team to start the 1986 campaign, but he never played a snap for Dallas that year, as he staged a holdout seeking a new contract. Roughly five weeks into the regular season, he was released, as the Cowboys had filled his starting spot with none other than Bill Bates. Clinkscale ultimately landed with the Indianapolis Colts and played five games for them before his career completely came to a close.

Other Dallas Cowboys jersey honorees

This list will be updated daily until all 100 entries are complete, so please be sure to check back in with The Landry Hat for updates.

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Dextor Clinkscale spent seven years in the NFL after going undrafted in 1980

Other Dallas Cowboys jersey honorees

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