When he showed up at Troy University as a lanky wide receiver, you likely couldn't have found anyone who would project DeMarcus Ware as an NFL player, especially as a defensive end.
To say Ware developed into his own would be an understatement as he eventually became one of the greatest pass-rushers in NFL history.
By the time Ware's time at Troy was over, he was considered one of the best defensive players in the 2005 NFL Draft. Thus, the Cowboys picked him 11th overall with head coach Bill Parcells even giving him comparisons to one of his former players, Hall of Famer Lawrence Taylor.
Ware certainly lived up to the lofty expectations, tying for the team lead in sacks as a rookie with eight, followed by seven consecutive years reigning as the Cowboys' single-season sack leader. In 2008, he posted the only 20-sack campaign of his career, which is not only a franchise record, but is tied for the 12th-best season by any NFL player. Three years later, Ware racked up 19.5 sacks, making him the first in league history to have multiple seasons of at least 19 sacks.
But while quarterbacks always had to be fearful of Ware's pass-rushing prowess, he was arguably just as good a run-stopper.
"He's one of the most complete football players I've ever seen, not just coached," said Wade Phillips, who was Ware's head coach in Dallas from 2007-10 and then coached him again with the Denver Broncos as well. "He's not just a guy who can get after the quarterback, although he's one of the best I've ever seen, but he can play the run. He understands the angles. He knows where to be. He's just a great football player at whatever you ask him to do."
Ware played nine seasons in Dallas, becoming the Cowboys' all-time leader in sacks with 117 while earing seven Pro Bowl invites and four first-team All-Pro nods. He then finished out his career with three years in Denver where he won a Super Bowl ring and earned two more Pro Bowl selections.
Ware, however, returned to Dallas in 2017 for a ceremonial press conference to officially retire as a Cowboy, and was then inducted into both the team's Ring of Honor and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2023.