Cowboys Standouts Named Among NFL's Top Homegrown Duos
While they have made significant upgrades through trades and free agency over the years, the Dallas Cowboys have also done a fine job creating talent in-house. Ahead of the 2025 season, two key members of the roster received high praise amid their emergence as star-level talents.
Back in 2020, luck fell the Cowboys' way when wide receiver CeeDee Lamb slid in the draft. Dallas managed to nab him at pick No. 17, and since then, he's blossomed into a core piece for the franchise. Lamb has racked up at least 1,000 yards in each of the last four seasons and landed All-Pro honors in 2023 after leading the league in receptions (135).
Fast forward to 2021, and the Cowboys secured a pillar for the other side of the ball. Following a strong college career at Penn State, Dallas drafted Micah Parsons 12th overall. He was brought in to raise the Cowboys' floor on defense, but has done so much more than that. Parsons has developed into one of the league's top defensive stars, finishing top three in Defensive Player of the Year voting three times in four seasons.
CeeDee Lamb #88 of the Dallas Cowboys signals for a first down after a play during the second quarter of an NFL football game against the Washington Commanders at AT&T Stadium on November 23, 2023...
CeeDee Lamb #88 of the Dallas Cowboys signals for a first down after a play during the second quarter of an NFL football game against the Washington Commanders at AT&T Stadium on November 23, 2023 in Arlington, Texas. More
Photo byAlso read: Former Champion Sets High Bar For New-Look Cowboys Offense
Ahead of training camp, NFL.com's Nick Shook ranked the top homegrown duos in football right now. Parsons and Lamb made an appearance on this list, securing the No. 1 spot.
"Parsons entered the NFL from Penn State with plenty of deserved attention, but even the most avid Nittany Lions supporters likely didn't expect him to be this good at the next level. The true transformation into a game-wrecking pass rusher occurred once the Cowboys committed to playing him on the ball, sacrificing his sideline-to-sideline range in favor of sending him on repeated quarterback hunts," Shook wrote. "Lamb has been a star since his days at Oklahoma, yet he remained available until the middle of the 2020 NFL Draft's first round. Dallas happily scooped him up at No. 17 overall and immediately bestowed great expectations upon him by handing him the franchise's venerated No. 88 jersey. He's done nothing but meet those expectations, even when the circumstances surrounding him haven't been ideal."
Also read: Dallas Cowboys Named Among NFL's Most Underrated Teams
In light of becoming two of the top players on the roster, the Cowboys have deeply invested in their homegrown talents. Last year, Dallas inked Lamb to a four-year extension worth $136 million. Parsons is now due for a new contract, and based on his production and impact, could end up landing a record-setting deal on par with that of Pittsburgh Steelers star TJ Watt.
Following a down year in 2024, Lamb and Parsons will attempt to help the Cowboys return to prominence in the NFC this season.
For more Dallas Cowboys and NFL news, head over to Newsweek Sports.
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