Inside The Star
After the first-round selection of offensive lineman Tyler Booker in last week’s draft, conventional wisdom had the Dallas Cowboys focusing on the run game in 2025.
That might have been true had Dallas bothered to follow that pick up with a three-down running back in either of the next two rounds.
Instead, the Cowboys selected another edge player in the second round and a cornerback in the third. Said cornerback is coming off of a torn ACL at that.
That doesn’t exactly scream “focusing on the run” here.
Dallas went into the draft needing an RB1 with the departure of Rico Dowdle in the offseason, following Tony Pollard’s departure the year before.
They are still looking for an RB1 after. So now they have to hope that one of their two late-round draft picks at the position pays off.
Otherwise, the Cowboys are looking at a running-back-by-committee approach in 2025.
Either way, as of this moment and barring any additional trades or free agent signings, the Cowboys have only the third-best running back room in the NFC East.
Dallas Cowboys
New York Giants
Philadelphia Eagles
Washington Commanders
It is abundantly clear that the Eagles have the best running back room in the division. Saquon Barkley alone seals that.
Having A.J. Dillon to spell Barkley is a huge plus.
Likewise for the Commanders, who have a solid 1-2 punch in Brian Robinson and Austin Ekeler.
The Cowboys and Giants, however, have a lot of questions to answer in their offensive backfield. Here’s how things shake out for the Cowboys’ running backs in 2025.
The first order of business will be sorting out which of the seven running backs will make the 53-man roster in September.
Hunter Luepke, at fullback, would appear to be a safe bet. If Brian Schottenheimer really wants to lean on the run, he’s going to need a good blocking fullback to get the job done.
Luepke also adds the benefit of having been a power halfback at North Dakota State.
He fits the mold of Robert Newhouse in the 1970s. Newhouse was a fullback one year, then the Cowboys’ leading rusher the next at halfback.
In a pinch, Luepke could replicate that role.
But if he eventually has to do that, it would mean serious injuries, or hideous production, would have plagued the rest of the room.
The two recent draft picks, Jaydon Blue (5th – Texas) and Phil Mafah (7th – Clemson) are also likely safe bets, barring injury.
Blue was stuck behind Bijan Robinson and Jonathon Brooks in his first two years at Texas. In 2024, he finally had his chance to start.
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