In preparation for Monday night's national championship battle between Alabama and Georgia – a rematch of the SEC Championship Game played just last month, it's clear this will be a showdown of some of the best athletes in the game.
Not only are they on the best teams, but the NFL Draft later this spring will undoubtedly feature many of these players.
But Georgia and Alabama have always had great players, and the Cowboys have benefitted from them over the years.
So we decided to rank the 10 best players from Alabama and Georgia – picking a handful from both schools.
We decided to rank the 10 best players from Alabama and Georgia – picking a handful from both schools.
10. Michael Myers – Alabama – More of a role player for the Cowboys, Myers was often an underrated player that can not only play the nose, but versatile enough to play other spots. He was also one of the toughest players the Cowboys have had as some of the athletic trainers often pointed out Myers was rarely ever in the training camp, despite playing in the middle of the trenches for five years.
9. Jason Ferguson – Georgia – He had a 12-year career as a solid defensive tackle that thrived in a 3-4 scheme. He only spent three years in Dallas, and one of which he was injured. But Bill Parcells needed him to make the switch to a 3-4 scheme and so he signed him 2005 to reunite with the run-clogging nose tackle.
8. Quincy Carter – Georgia – He's often remembered for being released in training camp or playing on some of the bad teams in the early 2000s. But let's not forget Carter did lead the Cowboys to a 10-6 record in 2003 and a spot in the playoffs. He's one of eight quarterbacks in Cowboys history to win 10 games in a season.
7. Randall Godfrey – Georgia – The Cowboys probably would've wanted a redo on the decision to let Godfrey leave in free agency after the 1999 season. He played four years in Dallas and was just developing into a really good player before he left for Tennessee. The Cowboys didn't always pay top dollar for linebackers but if they had known Godfrey would have a 12-year career, they might have altered the approach.
6. George Teague – Alabama – He'll always be a fan favorite for a moment that wasn't even an official play. But his hit on Terrell Owens to protect the star is what Teague is remembered most for. But he was also a pretty good safety, playing alongside Darren Woodson. Teague also had one of the best playoff games in team history for a defensive player, when he dominated the Vikings in the 1996 NFC Wild Card round, producing three turnovers in one half.
5. Ray Donaldson – Georgia – Perhaps one of the more underrated players the Cowboys had during the 1990s. Donaldson was an All-Pro for the Colts before joining Dallas, which had lost Mark Stepnoski in free agency. Donaldson stepped right in at center and made two Pro Bowls in 1995-96, which turned out to be the last two seasons of his career.
4. Trevon Diggs – Alabama – Although he's just played two seasons, no one else has 11 picks. Even Teague got only seven in his five years with the Cowboys. Diggs is also the closest thing to a shut-down corner, since he's willing to travel with No. 1 receivers and still make plays.
3. Amari Cooper – Alabama – The Cowboys usually don't trade first-round picks away but the decision in 2018 to bring in Cooper for a first-rounder to the Raiders, has proven to be a great choice. Cooper is one of the best route-runners in the NFL and he's had 12 100-yard games with the Cowboys, tying him for ninth in team history.
2. Herschel Walker – Georgia – Perhaps one of the more valuable players the Cowboys have ever had. As great as he was in 1986 when he came to Dallas from the USFL, Walker proved to be a bigger asset as the Cowboys received numerous draft picks for him in the infamous trade with the Vikings in 1989. The Cowboys won Super Bowls, Walker bounced around three teams before actually coming back to Dallas in 1996.
1. Lee Roy Jordan – Alabama – The only Ring of Honor player on this list, Jordan is considered one of the greatest defensive players in team history and an anchor in the Doomsday Defense that carried the Cowboys throughout the 1970s. Jordan held the club record for tackles with 1,236 for many years before it was broken by Darren Woodson in 2002.
