IRVING – The 2004 season was a miserable one for the Cowboys.

They finished 6-10 after making the playoffs in Bill Parcells' first year. They never found a solution at one of their cornerback spots. Parcells had tired of the 4-3 defensive scheme and wanted a change. Offensively, the Cowboys lacked juice, as Jerry Jones likes to call it.

In early March 2005, the Cowboys spent nearly $30 million in signing bonuses on nose tackle Jason Ferguson, Anthony Henry and Marco Rivera, but free agency is designed to fill openings, not rebuild. To restore the Cowboys to playoff credibility immediately and for the future, they had to do it through the draft.

"We can't miss on this one," Cowboys vice president of college and pro scouting Jeff Ireland remembered hearing Parcells say one day before the draft.

Since drafting DeMarcus Ware, Marcus Spears, Kevin Burnett, Marion Barber, Chris Canty, Justin Beriault, Rob Petitti and Jay Ratliff, the Cowboys are 29-15, and they head into today's game at Detroit with a chance to clinch the franchise's first NFC East title since 1998.

There are plenty of reasons for the Cowboys' ascent – quarterback Tony Romo, wide receiver Terrell Owens, the play of previous draft picks such as Terence Newman, Jason Witten and Bradie James – but the six remaining players from the 2005 draft class have played prominent roles.

Essentially, that class has produced six starters, considering how much Burnett, a linebacker in the substitute defensive packages, and Barber, the leading rusher, play.

"Bill told us early that we were going to have to play, all of us," said Canty, a fourth-round selection. "We were kind of baptized under fire. He wanted to see if we could sink or swim. I think that shows for itself. It made us closer as a group, and I think it made us better football players."

Two months after they were drafted, the Class of '05 showed how serious they were about succeeding. At the NFL Rookie Symposium in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., the eight-member class ran sprints on a plush croquet field to make sure they were in shape for training camp.

Rookies with other teams who enjoyed sitting by the pool during their downtime snickered.

"Coach wanted us to be in shape, so we were, like, we're going to do what we had to do to be in shape," said Burnett, a second-round selection. "I think that let everybody else know we were about business, and I think that's carried over to now."

TROY OXFORD / DMN illustration

The Cowboys had a long debate over taking Ware, Shawne Merriman or Spears at No. 11. Ware and Merriman were the top pass rushers in the draft. Parcells saw Spears as the prototype 3-4 defensive end and liked his production at LSU. When he was convinced Spears would be available at No. 20, the talk narrowed to Ware and Merriman.

In their discussions, Parcells saw Ware as a Lawrence Taylor type. Ireland, who worked in Kansas City's scouting department before coming to the Cowboys, saw a Derrick Thomas. Jerry and Stephen Jones saw another Charles Haley.

"You had one player remind you of three different Pro Bowl, Hall of Fame-type guys," Ireland said. "And then you throw in the intangibles he brought with his character. Our area scout, Walter Juliff, kept saying, 'You will not find a better person out there,' and to this day when there's a top-character grade it's, 'He's a DeMarcus Ware-type person.' When it's that way, that's enough said around here."

Ware is sixth in the NFL with 10 sacks and should earn his second Pro Bowl appearance later in the month. There have been rumblings about his candidacy for NFL Defensive Player of the Year.

"We want to play well for each other," said Spears, who was picked 20th. "D-Ware is the star of the class, but we all chip in and do our part. Everybody from that class and even on the team has the mentality of doing your part."

Drafts are defined by their depth. In 1964, the Cowboys drafted three members of the Ring of Honor – Mel Renfro (second round), Bob Hayes (seventh) and Roger Staubach (10th). In 1975, the Dirty Dozen class produced Hall of Famer Randy White. Troy Aikman was the centerpiece of the 1989 draft, but the Cowboys also got Daryl Johnston, Mark Stepnoski and Tony Tolbert.

LOUIS DeLUCA / DMN

DeMarcus Ware (left) and Marcus Spears were first-round picks for the Cowboys in 2005.

The second-day picks in 2005 – Barber, Canty and Ratliff – have turned a good class into a special one. Barber has 21 touchdowns in his last 28 games. He is on pace for 1,061 yards despite not starting. Canty, who slipped to the fourth round because of knee and eye injuries, leads the defensive line with 32 tackles. Ratliff took over at nose tackle after Ferguson was hurt in the opener and has done nothing but earn rave reviews from Wade Phillips.

"Over time, you learn your lessons, and I will say that after most drafts, you feel pretty good about what you've done," Director of Player Personnel Stephen Jones said. "That draft we were high on because of the two No. 1's, but we were just as high on Canty and Barber."

It's not just ability. Off the field, the players are just as close. Ware and Spears were teammates at the Senior Bowl. Spears is the godfather to Burnett's son, Kamurhan, and they worked Jerome Bettis' football camp together before their senior seasons. Canty and Ware played against each other in college. Most of them met at the NFL Scouting Combine. Their wives and girlfriends are just as close.

"You know what, it's just something special with those guys," Canty said. "We came in and we all had leadership qualities. We were all captains on our teams. We all wanted to win. We're all hungry. We all felt like we had something to prove. I know I did. We saw a little of ourselves in each other."

The Cowboys' 2005 draft picks, their school, round in which they were picked, overall selection number and comments by Cowboys vice president of college and pro scouting Jeff Ireland and staff writer Todd Archer:

Jeff Ireland: "He was a player that just got better and better every year that he was in college and he became a dominant player."

What has happened: Ware played in the Pro Bowl last season and became the first Cowboy since Charles Haley in 1994-95 to post double-figure sack totals.

Jeff Ireland: "He was on a national championship team and was productive and a team leader. With Marcus, he was a 300-pound defensive end that moved well. Very athletic."

What has happened: He has started 37 straight games at defensive end and is second on the team in tackles for losses this year with four.

Jeff Ireland: "He was a two-time captain at Tennessee. Very athletic and he could cover. He was a versatile player."

What has happened: He is having his best season, playing in the nickel and dime packages as an inside linebacker, and has 12 special teams stops.

Jeff Ireland: "Great kid, tough. Barber came out as a junior, but he was in a very successful running program there. Knew his role. Very passionate."

What has happened: He led the NFC in rushing TDs last year with 14 and is tied for second this year with seven. He needs 204 yards to reach 1,000 on the season.

Jeff Ireland: "You have to give Jerry [Jones] all of the credit. He felt really good about it. The risk involved, I think, turned out better than anybody thought."

What has happened: He has not missed a game and has become a disruptive end with 32 tackles and three sacks this season.

Jeff Ireland: "Another team captain. Had 100 tackles every year. One of the more productive safeties I've ever graded. He played every snap like it was his last."

What has happened: Out of football because of a serious knee injury.

Jeff Ireland: "We figured he'd come along and be a nice backup prospect. We would've liked to develop Petitti a little bit more, but you kind of move on."

What has happened: Started every game as a rookie but was cut in 2006 and is now with St. Louis.

Jeff Ireland: "You wonder why he's successful, and it's because he probably has one of the best motors. Maybe didn't get a lot of tackles or sacks, but he created for others."

What has happened: Took over the starting nose tackle role this year after Jason Ferguson's biceps injury and has 12 quarterback pressures, second on the team.