Malik Hooker joined the Cowboys this offseason after his rookie contract with the Indianapolis Colts expired. But had he not been such an attractive prospect in the 2017 NFL Draft, Hooker’s tenure in Dallas might have started four years sooner.
In a radio interview last Saturday prior to Dallas’ preseason game against the Houston Texans, Owner Jerry Jones stated that the Cowboys would’ve selected Hooker if he’d fallen to their 28th pick in that draft. But as history woefully states, we ended up with DE Taco Charlton instead.
Four years later, Malik is now trying to reboot his career as a free agent signing in Dallas after injuries marred his time in Indy. But he’s still better off than Taco, who just got cut yesterday by the Kansas City Chiefs.
Jerry Jones on @1053thefan on new Cowboys safety Malik Hooker: "If he had fallen to us, we would've drafted him." Cowboys drafted Taco Charlton with the 28th pick in 2017. Hooker went 15th. "He's an extraordinary player. Smart as a whip. He's what you want back there."
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) August 21, 2021
Charlton only lasted a little over two seasons in Dallas, being released two weeks into the 2019 season to make room for the Robert Quinn trade. He clashed with Defensive Coordinator Rod Marinelli and ultimately left in disgrace with questions about his effort swirling.
For four years now, Cowboys fans have bemoaned the drafting of Taco over the great T.J. Watt. Their careers went in completely opposite directions as Watt quickly emerged as and remains one of the top defensive players in all of football.
Dallas also would’ve been much better off with Safety Budda Baker, who went six spots later, and has already been to the Pro Bowl three times. In truth, the Cowboys probably should’ve selected Watt or Baker even if Malik Hooker had fallen to 28th.
That’s a hindsight argument, of course. In April of 2017 Hooker was one of the top prospects in the class and seen as a potential elite NFL safety. Even if the Colts hadn’t drafted him at 15th there’s little chance he’d have slid another 13 spots to the Cowboys.
Still just 25, Malik is hoping that the injuries are behind him and he can finally be the player that everyone expected coming out of Ohio State. Dallas is clearly hoping the same by bringing him into the mix during training camp.
It may have taken a while, but perhaps the Cowboys finally got their guy at safety.
