Almost since the day he purchased the Dallas Cowboys in 1989, many have believed Jerry Jones did what Jerry Jones wanted to do, especially when it came to the draft.
Jones said there has been a collective approach from the beginning that has included all of the personnel executives, like his son Stephen, coaches and scouts as they work through a process of selecting players. There might have been some discrepancies over the years where Jones went against the grain (Quincy Carter, 2001) but there is evidence on the other side (Zack Martin over Johnny Manziel in 2014), too.
Yet Jones is also willing to have some fun with the narrative.
"There is a lot of talk in this business about who makes the call, who actually makes the call," Jones said. "OK, Taco was Stephen's call. And Parsons was my call."
Taco Charlton was the Cowboys' first-round pick in 2017, and T.J. Watt serves as a daily reminder on what the Cowboys missed by taking Charlton. Micah Parsons was the Cowboys' first pick last year, and he was named the Defensive Rookie of the Year, a Pro Bowler and All-Pro.
For his part, Charlton, who is currently with the New Orleans Saints, didn't seem to mind Jones' admission all that much.
— Taco Charlton (@TheSupremeTaco) April 26, 2022