We are ranking the top 10 All-Time Best NFL Defensive Players from Texas HS Football. The list is based only on the players’ NFL careers, not their high school careers.
Bob Lilly is our #4 ranked player. There is a clear top-four, and you can argue them in any order. Lilly was a 7-time first-team all-pro and made 11 pro bowls. He was never the Defensive Player of the Year, but the award did not exist until his 10th year in the NFL. Lilly did not have the statistics of the three we ranked above him, so we ranked him 4th. However, Cowboys fans have a case to rank him as high as #1.
Lilly was the foundation of the Dallas Cowboys’ famed “Doomsday Defense” and one of the most dominant defensive tackles in NFL history. Known as “Mr. Cowboy,” Lilly was the first-ever draft pick in franchise history and spent all 14 seasons with Dallas, becoming an 11-time Pro Bowler and helping lead the Cowboys to their first Super Bowl title. His combination of size, quickness, and power revolutionized the defensive tackle position, earning him a place in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1980.
Early Life and High School Career
Bob Lilly was born on July 26, 1939, in Olney, Texas. He played high school football for three years at Throckmorton High School before his family moved to Oregon for his senior season. He finished high school at Pendleton High School, where he also excelled in basketball and earned All-State honors in football. Despite the late move, his talent stood out enough to earn a scholarship offer from Texas Christian University (TCU).
College Career at TCU
Lilly became a dominant force on TCU’s defensive line, earning the nickname “Tiger Lilly” from his teammates. He helped the Horned Frogs win the Southwest Conference Championship as a sophomore and was named First-Team All-SWC in both 1959 and 1960. As a senior, Lilly was a consensus All-American, establishing himself as one of the best defensive linemen in college football. His success at TCU earned him a place in the College Football Hall of Fame in 1981.
NFL Career with the Dallas Cowboys
The Cowboys selected Lilly with the 13th overall pick in the 1961 NFL Draft, making him the first-ever draft pick in franchise history. Initially playing defensive end, he moved to defensive tackle in his third season, where he became the anchor of the Cowboys’ defense. Lilly was a key part of the Cowboys’ rise to dominance in the late 1960s and early 1970s, leading one of the most feared defensive units in the NFL.
Lilly was named First-Team All-Pro seven times and was an 11-time Pro Bowl selection. His relentless pass-rushing ability, combined with his agility and strength, made him nearly unblockable. One of the most memorable moments of his career came in Super Bowl VI, when he recorded a then-record 29-yard sack on Miami Dolphins quarterback Bob Griese, helping Dallas secure its first championship with a 24-3 victory.
His consistency and durability were remarkable—he played in 196 consecutive games, missing just one game in his entire career. He retired after the 1974 season as one of the most respected defensive players in NFL history.
Legacy and Post-Football Career
Lilly was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1980, becoming the first Cowboys player to receive the honor. He was also the first player inducted into the Dallas Cowboys Ring of Honor. He remains one of the greatest defensive tackles of all time, earning a spot on both the NFL 1960s and 1970s All-Decade Teams, the NFL 75th Anniversary Team, and the NFL 100th Anniversary Team.
Off the field, Lilly turned his passion for photography into a successful post-football career, publishing books and showcasing his work in galleries. He has remained a lifelong ambassador for the Cowboys and the game of football.
Awards and Accomplishments
- Super Bowl champion (VI)
- 7× First-Team All-Pro (1964–1969, 1971)
- 11× Pro Bowl selection (1962, 1964–1973)
- NFL 1960s & 1970s All-Decade Teams
- NFL 75th & 100th Anniversary All-Time Teams
- Dallas Cowboys Ring of Honor
- Pro Football Hall of Fame (1980)
Bob Lilly’s impact on the Cowboys and the defensive tackle position cannot be overstated. His ability to dominate games, both as a run-stuffer and pass-rusher, set the standard for future generations of interior defensive linemen. As the first true superstar of the Cowboys, he earned the nickname “Mr. Cowboy” and remains one of the most revered figures in franchise history. That’s why he ranks as the #4 greatest defensive player from Texas high school football.
