Jerry Jones purchased the Dallas Cowboys on February 25, 1989 for $140 million. That means that as an owner, Jones has now been through 25 NFL drafts.
This year, the Cowboys passed up Johnny Manziel in the first round, instead drafting versatile offensive lineman Zack Martin. There is some debate as to how well Jones did in this years draft, with some Cowboys fans much happier than others. Although they added depth, did they add value?
Dallas isn't known for 
strong post-draft rosters (they usually make their splash in free agency), but this year Jones is confident.
If a great team turns up four to six seasons down the road, Will McClay will be considered the hero. McClay is the assistant director of player personnel for the Cowboys, and had a major part in mapping out this year's draft board. "I couldn't give him anything but an A in every respect," Jones said about McClay's contributions to the Cowboys' 2014 draft.
While the future is still up in the air, let's take a look back at some of the better decisions Jerry Jones has made on draft day. The Cowboys have seen some great players come through Dallas over the last 25 years - let's take a look at the five best draft picks Jerry Jones has ever made.
1. Troy Aikman: Let's start this off strong. Aikman was the number one overall draft pick in 1989, the same year Jerry Jones bought the team. To say Aikman was a great draft pick is an understatement - he was the starting quarterback in Dallas for all 12 seasons of his career. He led the Cowboys to three Super Bowl victories, was a six-time Pro Bowler and the Super Bowl XXVII MVP.
After injuries started to affect his last two seasons, he announced his retirement in 2000. In the 1990's, he was considered the "winningest starting quarterback of any decade in NFL history."
Aikman was elected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2006. He ended his career with nearly 33,000 passing yards, 141 interceptions and 165 touchdowns.
2. Emmitt Smith: In 1990, Dallas traded up in order to draft Smith 17th in the first round. Smith had an incredibly successful career with the Cowboys - he scored 164 rushing touchdowns and 11 receiving TDs. He current
ly holds the NFL's career rushing yards record, with 18,355.
Smith was the running back who pushed for extra yards when the play should have been over. He could protect the pass and could be counted on to block and even catch passes. Smith was the prototypical all-around, explosive running back.
When he was 33 years old, Smith was released by the Cowboys and played for the Arizona Cardinals in 2003-04. Smith announced his retirement at the end of that year, and the Cardinals released him. He then signed a one-day contract for $1 with Dallas so that he could retire a Cowboy.
3. Darren Woodson: Drafted in the second round in 1992, Woodson went from a small linebacker to an oversized safety. In his second season, he set the team's record for most tackles by a defensive back with 155.
He went to five Pro Bowls and was selected to three All-Pro teams. In 2002, he broke the franchise record for most tackles while playing against the Seattle Seahawks. Woodson was a fantastic addition to the Dallas team.
Due to injuries, he retired in 2004. To this day, he is arguably the greatest safety to play for Dallas, and since his departure, the Cowboys have struggled to find an adequate replacement.
4. Jason Witten: Dallas passed up Witten in the first and second rounds of the 2003 draft and finally picked him up 69th overall. Although his rookie season wasn't great, he shined in his second year and was selected to his first Pro Bowl.
In 2006, Witten became the tenth tight end in NFL history to post three consecutive seasons with at least 60 receptions. He continued to set more records both for the Dallas franchise and the NFL. It seems that every year of his career thus far, Witten has accomplished some sort of achievement or received some honorable mention.
In 2013, Witten took Shannon Sharpe's spot with the second-most receptions by a tight end in NFL history. Witten is still playing for the Cowboys, and he's still looking to add to career totals of 52 touchdowns and almost 10,000 receiving yards.
5. Dez Bryant: Bryant was drafted 24th by the Cowboys in 2010, and still looks like a game-changer in Dallas. He wore the same number as the notorious Michael Irvin - the greatest wideout in franchise history - and so far, he's lived up to the expectations.
Bryant continues to improve his statistics, and he's matured a great deal off the field as well. So far, Bryant has 40 receiving TDs, two touchdowns on special teams as a kick returner, 293 receptions and 4,104 receiving yards. He has yet to win a Super Bowl, but has the skills to help his team get there.
Although Bryant had some issues off the field early in his Cowboys career, he has been a crucial part of the Dallas gameplan since signing his first contract with the team.
Honorable mentions: DeMarcus Ware and Michael Irvin: Although Irvin was drafted shortly before Jones took over, he's worth mentioning here since he helped make up "The Triplets," with Aikman and Smith. In his second year, the Cowboys had their worst record in franchise history (1-15)...but that's exactly what it was - history.
Irvin went on to set many records for the Cowboys, and played for the first four coaches under Jerry Jones. The Dallas Cowboys have been to eight Super Bowls, and Irvin went to three of those and won every single one.
Dallas fans have seen some smart draft picks become great players for their team. Will the 2014 draft picks become Cowboys legends, or legendary flops?
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