DALLAS (105.3 The Fan) - Back in 2017, the Cowboys had an opportunity to draft a linebacker out of Wisconsin, that just so happened to be the brother of a future Hall of Fame pass rusher. Instead, Dallas took Michigan defensive end Taco Charlton with the No. 28 overall pick.
Charlton, as Cowboys fans know, no longer plays for the team, and will go down as one of the worst first-round picks in franchise history.
And the linebacker that went two picks later to the Pittsburgh Steelers was none other than T.J. Watt, the brother of Texans All-Pro J.J. Watt.
At the time, Cowboys fans and the media were stunned when Dallas picked Charlton over the younger Watt brother. Since then, Watt has turned into an All-Pro linebacker for one of the best defenses in the NFL, while Charlton is on his third team in four years.
With Dallas set to face the Steelers this Sunday, Cowboys COO Stephen Jones was asked on the GBag Nation Friday if he ever looks back on that draft and goes, 'dangit?'
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"Absolutely," Jones said while laughing. "You always do that if you're truthful and you're honest about what might could have been. The harder part of that is he was in serious contention. I think the biggest issue was we were playing a 4-3 (defense) there with Rod (former Cowboys defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli), and Rod was concerned about some tight hold up against the run in the 4-3, and (he) didn't have that same concern with Taco. Obviously, if you had that to do all over again, I wish we would have done that. And, of course, he'd fit probably better now in some of the things we're trying to do with Coach Nolan and our defense. He's obviously a great player, he's already on his way to a great career like his brother. I congratulate the Steelers for getting him."
The Cowboys could certainly use Watt right about now with Jaylon Smith continuing to struggle and Leighton Vander Esch battling various injuries throughout the his last two seasons in the NFL.