Jerry Jones has done well in the draft over the last few years, particularly in the first round. Like many general managers, Jones does have his misses, too -- the most egregious being Taco Charlton in the first round of the 2017 draft. Taken with the No. 28 overall selection, Charlton was selected two picks ahead of T.J. Watt -- a massive miss for a Cowboys team in need of an edge rusher to pair with DeMarcus Lawrence.
Jones admitted to the mistake of the pick when explaining the Cowboys' process of draft selection, jokingly blaming the Charlton pick on his son Stephen (Chief Operating Officer and Cowboys Executive Vice President). Charlton wasn't brought up in conversation until Jones entered his name in the mix of recent first-round picks.
"There's a lot of talk in this business about who makes the call. Who actually makes he call," Jones told reporters Wednesday. "Taco was Stephen's call. [Micah] Parsons is my call."
Obviously, Jones was joking about the Charlton pick, and Stephen could do nothing but laugh. "That's not that funny to me," Stephen responded with a chuckle, going along with the joke as Jerry smiled across the podium.
Charlton, who now plays for the New Orleans Saints, didn't exactly find the comment funny. But he had a great response to Jones via social media hours later, using a meme to essentially say, "Thanks for the cash."
— Taco Charlton (@TheSupremeTaco) April 26, 2022
Charlton lasted just two seasons in Dallas, notching 46 tackles, four sacks, and a forced fumble before the Cowboys moved on and released him. His stint with the Cowboys was one of the shortest for a first-round draft choice by the team in franchise history. Charlton has bounced around the league since, playing for the Miami Dolphins, Kansas City Chiefs, and Pittsburgh Steelers.
Earning $6,981,170 with the Cowboys, Charlton can at least enjoy the fact Jones paid him for two-plus seasons. Outside of the money, his tenure with the Cowboys was forgettable -- for him and Jones.
