where he was a member of the school's "Academic Starters" team. Professional career 2002 NFL Draft Gurode initially projected as a guard and was ranked the best available in the 2002 NFL Draft, along with Kendall Simmons. He was regarded as an early second round pick, and was eventually selected 37th overall by the Dallas Cowboys. Dallas Cowboys (2002–2010) Gurode was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the second round of the 2002 NFL Draft as a center. He started fast by becoming the first rookie in club history to start at center on opening day. It is believed 2002 was the first time an NFL franchise had five African-American starters on their offensive line, when the Cowboys lined up Gurode at center, tackles Flozell Adams and Solomon Page, guards Larry Allen and Kelvin Garmon. Gurode also became part of history as the starting center on the Cowboys offensive line that helped Emmitt Smith eclipse Walter Payton as the NFL's all-time leading rusher, playing against the Seattle Seahawks on October 27. While he started the first six games of the 2002 season at center, Gurode was moved to help compensate for the number of injuries along the offensive line, compiling another eight starts at right guard. In 2003, Bill Parcells was hired as the Cowboys head coach and decided that Gurode's best position was at guard, starting 15 games at that position in 2003 and 13 games in 2004 with mixed results, before getting benched for the final two games. At the start of the 2005 season, Parcells accepted he made a misjudgment by moving Gurode to guard and switched him back to center, with the Cowboys also signing Marco Rivera to take his place at guard. That season, he was a versatile backup, playing behind Al Johnson at center and Rivera at right guard. In 2006, he rededicated himself to football and won the starting center job again, over Al Johnson. On October 1, 2006, in the third quarter of a game against the Tennessee Titans, Titans defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth stomped on Gurode's head. Haynesworth's cleats caused a laceration requiring thirty stitches. Haynesworth was ejected, and subsequently suspended by the NFL for five games without pay. Following the 2006 season, Gurode was named to his first Pro Bowl as an injury replacement. On February 20, 2007, the Cowboys re-signed Gurode to a six-year contract worth US$30 million including