Disaster in Dallas: The 12 Worst 1st-Round Picks in Cowboys History | News, Scores, Highlights, Stats, and Rumors

If you've noticed, this list thus far has one clear theme: the Cowboys' first-round drafting success from 1978-87 flat-out stunk.

The latest Dallas flop in this period comes in the form of Richards, a 6'6", 263-pounder who showed very brief flashes of his potential before injuries and his knack for allowing defensive linemen into the backfield led to his release after the 1986 season. Richards appeared in just 67 games for the Cowboys, managing only 18 starts.

Once again, the Bears happened to benefit from the misfortune of the Cowboys' brain trust. Early in the second round, Chicago chose Baylor's Mike Singletary, who turned out to become one of the game's greatest linebackers en route to getting a bust in Canton. Dallas also missed out on two other future Hall of Famers, as DE Howie Long (48th, Oakland) and LB Rickey Jackson (51st, New Orleans) were still on the board.