The NFL's Top 50 Draft Classes of the Decade: No. 29 Dallas Cowboys, 2003

Team Achievements: 67-45, 4 playoff berths.

The Cowboys' 2003 Selections: Terence Newman, CB, Kansas St. (No. 5)
Al Johnson, C, Wisconsin (No. 38)
Jason Witten, TE, Tennessee (No. 69)
Bradie James, LB, LSU (No. 103)
B.J. Tucker, CB, Wisconsin (No. 178)
Zuriel Smith, WR, Hampton (No. 186)
Justin Bates, G, Colorado (No. 219)

Class Accolades: Terence Newman - Pro Bowl in 2007, 23 career interceptions, 417 total tackles.
Al Johnson - 31 career starts for Cowboys.
Jason Witten - All-Pro in 2007, 6 Pro Bowls, 523 career receptions, 5,965 receiving yards, 27 touchdowns, 80+ catches in 4 different seasons, top ten in receptions in 2007 and 2009.
Bradie James - 15.5 career sacks, 10 career fumble recoveries, 5 consecutive seasons without missing a start, 100+ tackles in 4 straight seasons.

Overall Draft Analysis: After three straight five-win seasons, the Cowboys hit the proverbial draft day jackpot in 2003. Newman, Witten, and James remain fixtures in Dallas, leading the team to four playoff berths and five winning seasons since entering the league. As a seven-year starter, Newman has emerged as one of the NFC's elite corners. The 2003 draft interestingly yielded the decade's most accomplished cast of cover-men, headlined by Asomugha, Newman, Trufant, Rashean Mathis, Terrence McGee, and Asante Samuel. Talented tackler Bradie James has joined Newman and the Cowboy's star-studded defense, impressively starting every Cowboys' game during the past five seasons. As two of the team's three defensive selections in 2002, James and Newman have remarkably combined to start 183 regular season games.

On the offensive side, the team drafted the decade's best NFC tight end, Witten, in the third round in 2003. Witten garnered a sixth consecutive Pro Bowl selection in 2009, while recording 80+ receptions for the fourth different season. The former Vol' trails only Tony Gonzalez in career receptions, amongst active NFL tight ends. Johnson respectably started 31 games in his first two seasons in the league, while late-rounders Bates and Smith combined to play nine games with Dallas. Inevitably, the consistent contributions of the Cowboys' "Big Three" of '03 have greatly impacted the team's prolonged success, reaching the playoffs three out of the past four seasons.

The Cowboys' "Perfect Draft" in Retrospect
(Keeping trades, only same position players are eligible)
No. 5 - CB Nnamdi Asomugha, No. 38 - C Dan Koppen, No. 69 - TE Jason Witten, No. 103 - LB Cato June, No. 178 - CB Leigh Bodden, No. 186 - WR Kevin Walter, No. 219 - G Kris Dielman (Undrafted).

References - All statistics and draft results as reflected on NFL.com and Pro-Football-Reference.com.