I will never forget Leon Lett at his best. There was a time when he may have been as dominant as any defensive tackle ever was. But for too short a time.

Jethro Pugh is yet another Cowboy in a long list which the NFL has refused true acknowledgment. Enjoyed your list my friend. Randy White is my all time favorite Cowboy. (I can still see his childlike celebration in the endzone after sacking "the snake" Ken Stabler).

The top 2 are easy. Glad to see Lett on here. He's always remembered for those gaffes, but he was a good player.

Randy White was the man. Loved watching him play

Jethro Pugh should have much more accolades...much more!

You went in your bat cave and came out with a Jewel! Your best one so far!

Ratliff is interesting because he was a defensive tackle in the Cowboys 3-4 defense. THE defensive tackle, actually. All the others played in the traditional 4-3 defenses. Remember the nose tackle for Parcell's 3-4 defense was the behemoth Jason Ferguson, but he was injured a few games into the 2007 season and Ratliff took over. He was thought to be undersized so there were concerns but Ratliff outperformed expectations and I agree considering their return on such a low investment, he has to be considered one of the best draft picks in recent Cowboys history. Plus his name is Jeremiah which is cool.

Great stuff. I was fortunate enough to watch Mr. Lily when I was growing up. His final season I was 16 years old. And he was truly great. He played on some of the best Dallas Defenses that we’ve ever had. Great player AND a great man.

Another solid history video. Well done. I agree with the top 4. Even without Ratliff melting down near the end and lying about his injury status to get out of Dallas, I think La'Roi Glover is the only truly GREAT Cowboys N/DT this century. His 4 years were exceptional enough for me to rank him #5 on this list. Ratliff had great potential, but if we only count primary Cowboys, his betrayal of the team makes it easy for me to pick Cole, Dutton, Hennings, or maybe some others over him. On my All Time Cowboys roster Lilly and White are the starting DTs, backed up by Pugh and Lett. Imagine Lilly and White playing side by side, lol. Mr Cowboy, their first ever draft pick, is the most decorated player in franchise history and my pick for greatest Cowboys player (with Staubach basically tied at 1b).

The thing that impressed me most about Randy White was that he could play and excel at just about any defensive position, except maybe for DB. He had the speed to play DE and the awareness to play any LB position.

It should be noted that, before 1978, the league only had 14 regular season games, too.

LC, congratulations on another wonderful upload. You dissected your argument like an experienced surgeon or an experienced defense attorney presented his case. Since I started following the Cowboys in 1970, I've noticed a growing dislike within NFL circles concerning the term " America's Team". Mainly due to envy and the Five Super Bowls. Thank you

I went to Emporia State University at the same time as Leon Lett. I met him once, and he was huge. And, at least with me, he was cheerful and happy. I really like Leon. He and Bill Bates are my favorite Cowboys of all time…

Hard to argue with that list. When I got interested in football, esp Dallas, Randy White had just moved to DT. So I'm a Manster fan but Lilly is the Dallas Cowboys. Great job man.

Only 7 players but Lilly started for 14-15 yrs and white started for another 14-15 yrs following Lilly. Under Landry’s flex defense the second tackle was primarily responsible for stuffing the run. Hence Dutton and Pugh not getting as big of recognition.

Happy big cat Lett was on there. Strong and quick for that size. BTW-DT is my second favorite position. I often watch old Alan Page highlights and more recently Aaron Donald. Just seeing someone bulldoze a 300 lb lineman is an incredible sight.

Interesting list, my friend. Pugh was a great player who never got the recognition he deserved outside of Cowboys nation.

💯 #1 and #2 write themselves. Glad to see Jethro Pugh and Leon Lett getting recognition. #5 is hard and your methodology is... logical.🧠

Love the amazing research you accumulate to produce your videos. Obviously a Cowboy fan, I'm is old as dirt and remember watching all of these players. Keep up the great work

Thank you, I've been waiting for this one. Love your research and like your logic. Bob Lilly would be number one on any team list and Randy White would be number one on just about any other team list! Pugh has been robbed of his right amongst the best and pro bowl honors in fear of having half the line Cowboys!

My first year playing football was 3rd grade YMCA league. I chose number 75 because Jethro Pugh was my favorite player. I had good taste, even as an 8 year old, lol.

I remember the Cowboys acquiring John Dutton because Too Tall Jones decided to try boxing. He was acquired to play Defensive End but Too Tall came back and pushed John Dutton to Defensive Tackle, not his natural position.

Absolutely amazing! Love your channel!

Outstanding content the logical cowboy always 🔥 🔥🔥💯 one of my Dallas cowboys favorite KZfaq channels love it thank you go cowboys maybe we change that drafting dt in the first Rd since Russell Maryland with Michigan s mazi smith or Pittsburgh s calib Yancey

WOW BRO! Another Dandy!!!! It’s hard for me to say the big cat wasn’t the best on this list. But then again when I think back to Lilly and Pugh I get sentimental. I even wore the two bar face mask in HS and college like the manster. I would have to go with Larry Cole as well, as he was a big part of doomsday! But hey I can agree with how you ranked them too! Nice job!

I think you have to add Hennings as a tie at 5th. He didn't start his first "rookie" game until age 26 due to his commitment as a fighter pilot for the Air Force (where he flew A-10's in the Gulf War). His numbers support a spot on the list, especially considering he gave up 4 years of his "youth" at the position.

Thanks for the video. As I look at these and your discussion regarding the fifth pick, this video seems to show a top four and then a list of honorable mentions. I remember Jethro Pugh and Bob Lilly, but I didn't realize at the time exactly how great they were. I remember Randy White, and I agree with Leon Lett as a top four member of this list.

Simply GREAT!!! Well done and thank you for the time and effort you put into these!

My favorite post yet, well done sir!

Excellent research, awesome video!

Jay Ratliff would start right now on this team and be the player that we need up front

I like how you break down the video. Good job. I will be subscribing

Lett was headed for defensive player of the year

I Watched John Dutton play he was good

Maryland was also a hell of a run stopper.

I was mad when Randy was #2. Then you said Lilly, and I was like, alright....

With Leon his time shined when he was in the Super Bowl. Yeah the two plays in Super Bowl 27 and the Thanksgiving game in Miami will always be there but Leon turned on in the Super Bowl. He had two caused fumbles in Super Bowl 27. One against Thurman Thomas that led to the next play of Michael Irvin's second touchdown and another one against Steve Tasker. He also caused a fumble in Super Bowl 28 that James Washington picked up and took it for 6 that tied the game at 13. That fumble changed the entire game. He has 3 rings and he got an interception against the Packers in the 95 NFC Championship game.

Just a plug for John Dutton--although he wasn't a top sack artist (though not bad) he was one of the leading tacklers on his teams. He had up to twice the number of tackles as more famous Dallas DL, such as Charles Haley, and pro football reference ranks him and Jethro Pugh as having similar careers. Moreover, Ed Jones and Randy White spoke highly of Dutton.

Jay Ratliff was a stud.

Once again great list. I agree that Jethro Pugh was underrated. As for the 5th spot you made a strong argument for Jay and you got me thinking but, I’d probably go with La’Roy.

Solid ass stat breakdowns

Great video , THANKS ! LILLY WHITE PUGH LETT COLE.

Great video BTW, one of my favorite positions in football has always been DT / NG.

Great list. No arguments.

Coles KO of Bradshaw in Super Bowl X is the most beautiful things. The end of the play wasn’t so good though

I liked Ratliff. I find that just before he left Dallas seems that he and Jerrah went sour on each other. Lett wasn’t called Big Cat for nothing. Pugh was a bit before my time but your points on his place on this list makes sense. White wasn’t called the Manster for nothing. Mr. Cowboy can’t go wrong with his placement. Outstanding TLC!!

Another great list. There's a classic question of the ages. It goes something like this. How many atta boys does it take to wipe out one oops? With Lett, for me, that question is still unanswered. Nevertheless, I love your content. Thank you for another great video.

I thought of a GREAT subject for your next video. Do a Top 5 or even Top 10 Dallas Cowboys who never made a Pro Bowl. There's an ALARMING number that there shouldn't be ANY WAY looking at their numbers that they couldn't be named to one. You mention Jethro Pugh on this clip. There's MIchael Downs, Jim Jeffcoat, etc.

I keep forgetting lett forced a fumble in both of them SB'S against buffalo

None the less but a very good list

I fully agree with your list 1-4 it matches mine. I really wasn't sure who my #5 was. Don't get me wrong, I think Pugh belongs easily at 3, but he did have the advantage of playing next to Lilly and then White. But Pugh was an outstanding player who one could argue made Lilly and White better players!

I agree!

It's hard to imagine that someone with the numbers and accomplishments of Jethro Pugh never made the Pro Bowl. I would go as far to say that he had a Hall of Fame career. A lot of Cowboys players aren't acknowledged whereas ex Steelers and Packers are flooded in Canton

The Manster could play every position on defense, the exception the being defensive secondary.

There's a lot to unpack here, but I can definitely respect your list (⁠•⁠‿⁠•⁠)

Cowboys haven’t had an consistently good player in the middle since Jay Ratliff

Lett's career and numbers would've been better if he didn't miss so many games for recreational drug use. Also, he was part of a rotation early in his career backing up Maryland and Casillias.

Lett was nightmare for Green Bay in the playoffs.

It's Bob Lilly and Randy White (who doesn't love the nickname "MANSTER!" one of the greatest nicknames in all of sports!) - NO. 1 and NO. 1A - for me, and you can swap which is NO. 1 and NO. 1A - then everybody else!!! SIDE NOTE: I'm not dismissing DT Jethro Pugh. It's just he's a notch below Lilly and White to me, which would make him NO. 2. Leon Lett is right up there, but to me, he didn't have a long enough "SUSTAINED" success do to the trouble he got himself into. But "TALENT WISE", yeah, he was a MONSTER!!!

Russell Maryland was very good

Hey Bro... I have a question for you? Dallas media talks about past coaches all the time. Jimmy, Barry, Campo, Parcells, Wade and Garrett... But no one talks about Chan Gailey! Why? 25 years ago, Gailey was our coach. Why did he only last 2 years? We went to the playoffs twice under him... Why did he get whacked? Maybe you can make a video about Years under Chan Gailey!

It is amazing that Jethro Pugh got 96 sacks as a DT and they couldn't even vote him to a single Pro Bowl. Shameful.

Let us not forget David Irving, who from the DT, DE wss dominate, NOT STARTING!!!

Y did not like when Ratliff went to Chicago

Jethro Pugh the defensive tackle would disappear between Bob Lilly and Randy White.

Bob Lilly was a farm boy that while in college would lift the front of his car to pull it to a spot that was more convenient to get to. Bob never tooted his own horn regarding his strength. While Landry created the flex to try to stop Jim Brown, the double and triple team was created to try to stop Bob Lilly. Randy White got his butt kicked as much as he kicked it. He was an absolute warrior. That neither Jethro Pugh nor Too Tall Jones are in the Hall of Fame is a travesty. It makes you hate the NFL.

The jethro Pugh no pro bowls is sad smh

For me, it is a travesty that Too Tall Jones and Jethro Pugh are not in the HOF! WTF! And I know it’s because they’re Cowboys but anyone with their resumes should be in! 😡🤬 #DC4L

I’d be interested to see where Larry Cole stacks up?

Kerr was definitely a beast…..but our dumbest player at that time. Put up his penalties and the take away in the bowl to Bebe

Great video agree with all except Ratliff I'd take Larry Cole over him any day and twice on Sunday... Cole was very underrated... he was very steady through out his career whether at end or tackle.. and he had a much longer career than Ratliff... there's more to playing defensive tackle than just sacks...Raltliff had a great run there for 4 years but Cole was steadier for a much longer period Cole made one of the best plays in any game when in the great double comeback game 79 vs Skins Staubachs last game.... it's third and very short for the redskins, a first down ends the game.... larry cole breaks through the line and tackles Riggins of all people behind the line. for a loss ..skins punt cowboys drive down the rest is history skins go home cowboys win the east and go to playoffs (but lost to Rams) it's doesn't happen without Coles play ..plenty of video from that game to see it Now Pugh ..exactly correct very very very underrated.... a very long and productive career.... but I'm sure that those seasons with thirteen or more sacks were assisted by the great one Bob Lilly who was double and even triple teamed..not just talk here go watch the footage...just as Merlin Olsen assisted Deacon Jones ...Pugh played in an era with great tackles...Joe Green, Alan Page, , Alex Karas , Merlin Olsen so unfortunately he was overlooked , by the way he owned a Cowboys shop at the DFW airport White is in the top 5 defensive tackles in NFL history never mind the Cowboys .. he was relentless RELENTLESS ..once again go watch the films to anyone who never saw him play....he had a mean streak like Dick Butkus As Tom Landry once said about Bob Lilly.... "the greatest player I ever coached" it's on NFL films presentation of the greatest moments in Cowboys History ..he was incredibly quick off the ball , no one could get into him... didnt lift weights but had TREMENDOUS natural strength. you can see the way he was able to discard offensive linemen .. his father once pulled and engine from a pick up truck without a hoist !!! Lilly writes about it in his book... Bill Walsh has a list in that book you show from Sporting News ..which I also own on page 124 regardless of position he had Lilly as the third greatest player he ever saw behind only Montana and Jim Brown ... Bill Walsh yes.... Thanks for the video give you LOTS of credit for spending the time making this !!!!!

They forgot to mention Ed too tall Jones,

9:25 was superbowl 6. Colts was 5.

I got no argument with this list at all. As great as all the players are that are mentioned here a couple of things jump out at me. They overpaid for John Dutton and Russell Maryland. Maryland was not worth a number one overall and definitely not one where the team had to give up a bunch to move up to get that pick. And Dutton was a solid contributor but they had to give up too much to get him and given that he joined the team when it was becoming ever more important to restock the team with young talent the trade to get him was a mistake. In fact the picks given up to get Dutton when combined with the picks given up to get Dorsett likely contributed to the declining talent of the drafted rookies at a critical point in the Landry Era. Dorsett was absolutely worth trading for but John Dutton wasn't.

I was hoping u bring up Jethro Pugh.From DT standpoint the most disrespected DT far accomplishment ever

Is Prescott gone yet??

Lilly! You must be out of your mind.

Jay Ratliff!? Who cares. He's a nothing.