Can you feel the excitement in the air? The 2016 NFL draft is just FIVE days away! The buildup to this year’s draft has been especially exciting for Cowboys Nation because the team holds a top 5 pick for the first time since 2003.
That year, they selected Kansas State’s Terence Newman, who is today’s Cowboys on the Clock profile player:
Terence Newman[get_helmet team=”dal” face=”l” align=”right” size=”md”]
Newman would play nine very solid seasons as a Cowboy from 2003-2011 following his selection with the fifth overall pick by the team in the 2003 draft. As a senior for Bill Snyder’s Wildcats team, he won the Jim Thorpe Award as a unanimous first team all-American.
Terence would start all 16 games for the Cowboys in 2003. During a week 14 blowout win over the Redskins on the road, Newman intercepted three passes – tying a team record for picks in a game.
Dallas won two of their last three games, driven by their defense, in route to a Wild Card playoff loss to the Panthers.
Still, Newman appeared poised for long-term success with the Cowboys, as he followed up his rookie year with another 16 game campaign in 2004. The athletic corner intercepted 4 passes and recorded 68 tackles.
While the team as a whole was struggling over these seasons, Newman took another step up going into the 2005 season, in which he did not give up a single touchdown in coverage.
Newman would have to battle through some injury concerns in 2007 for the first time in his Cowboys career, but was able to do so on his way to his first Pro Bowl appearance. Starting 11 games, he again intercepted 4 passes and added 3 forced fumbles.
The Cowboys were back in the playoffs for the second straight year, but again lost in the first round to the Giants at home in crushing fashion. While this loss ended a spectacular season for the Dallas Cowboys, it did not end Newman’s run with the team.
He would sign a new 6 year extension in 2008, and again record an even 4 interceptions despite starting just 10 games.
The veteran was known for bouncing back when he was rarely knocked down, and Newman did just that in 2009 as well. The Cowboys returned to the playoffs with an 11-5 record good enough to earn them the NFC East title.
Terence Newman played a large role on defense, as he made his second career Pro Bowl. The Cowboys season would unfortunately come to a bitter end to the Vikings in the Divisional Round, following a win over the Eagles at home during the first round of the playoffs.
For Newman, this also began to mark the end of his run in the silver and blue. While he played two more years with the team, starting 30 of a possible 32 games, his consistency was a big concern.
Terence battled through these issues once again to record a career high 5 interceptions in 2010 followed by a team high 4 in 2011, but the team would miss the playoffs in both seasons.
In March of 2012, Newman was released by the Dallas Cowboys to create cap space. He would join former Cowboys defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer in Cincinnati, playing three years as a Bengal before following Zimmer to Minnesota – where he started 16 games in 2015.
The following players have also been selected with the 5th overall pick by the Dallas Cowboys:
John Niland, G, 1966
For more on Niland’s career with the Cowboys, check out this profile of him from June of 2015, when our Inside The Star Staff Writer RJ Ochoa named him the greatest player to wear #76 in team history:
//insidethestar.com/johnny-nightlife-niland-is-greatest-76-in-cowboys-history/
Craig Morton, QB, 1965
Morton would take over the starting role for the Cowboys in 1969 following the retirement of Don Meredith, but would immediately have to deal with Roger Staubach – who replaced Morton during much of his time with the team up until joining the New York Giants in 1974.
Tomorrow on “Cowboys on the Clock”: 1964 first round selection Scott Appleton
Until then, make sure you are prepared for the upcoming draft over these next few days by checking out our draft content here on Inside The Star. You can leave your feedback on this post or any of the previous editions of “Cowboys on the Clock” by replying below or emailing sean.martin@insidethestar.com.
