Beware a 1st-Round Running Back a Bad Decision

A 1st-round running back is a bad decision for the Cowboys, as the team is inching closer to the 2025 NFL Draft.

The front office does not need to trade up for Ashton Jeanty or take Omarion Hampton in the first round.

As big of a need as this position is for the Cowboys, it will not work out in their favor.

If you were to look back on my mock drafts, I was also one of the people pulling for a running back in the first. That was until I dug into the research, and it will not get this team to where it needs to be.

1st Round Running Backs Seldom Win Super Bowls

Over the last decade, the NFL has seen a dynasty and unlikely Super Bowl-winning teams.

One thing most of these teams have in common is that they have no drafted first-round running backs.

The following list focuses on the player who was the primary starting running back, typically the one with the most carries or snaps in the game or season.

The list will cover Super Bowls 50 through 59, identifying each team’s starting running back and their draft status.

1. Super Bowl 50 (2015): Denver Broncos
   • Starting Running Back: C.J. Anderson
   • Draft Status: Undrafted (2013)
   • Details: Anderson was the clear starter, leading with 23 carries for 90 yards and a touchdown in the Super Bowl. No first-round running back.
2. Super Bowl 51 (2016): New England Patriots
   • Starting Running Back: LeGarrette Blount
   • Draft Status: Undrafted (2010)
   • Details: Blount was the primary starter, leading the team in carries during the season (299 carries, 1,161 yards) and 31 yards in the Super Bowl.
   • James White contributed as a receiving back. No first-round running back.
3. Super Bowl 52 (2017): Philadelphia Eagles
   • Starting Running Back: LeGarrette Blount
   • Draft Status: Undrafted (2010)
   • Details: The Eagles used a committee, but Blount was the nominal starter, leading with 14 carries for 90 yards and a touchdown in the Super Bowl.
   • Jay Ajayi (5th-round) and Corey Clement (undrafted) split carries, but Blount was the primary back. No first-round running back.
4. Super Bowl 53 (2018): New England Patriots
   • Starting Running Back: Sony Michel
   • Draft Status: 1st-round (31st overall, 2018)
   • Details: Michel, a rookie, was the starting running back, leading with 18 carries for 94 yards and a touchdown in the Super Bowl.
   • Michel was also the primary rusher for the season (209 carries for 931 yards). Counts as a first-round starting running back.
5. Super Bowl 54 (2019): Kansas City Chiefs
   • Starting Running Back: Damien Williams
   • Draft Status: Undrafted (2014)
   • Details: Williams emerged as the starter late in the season and the playoffs. Led the team with 17 carries for 104 yards and a touchdown in the Super Bowl. No first-round running back.
6. Super Bowl 55 (2020): Tampa Bay Buccaneers
   • Starting Running Back: Leonard Fournette
   • Draft Status: 1st-round...