Blogging The Boys
The Cowboys need to make sure to leave the NFL Draft with a running back.
The Dallas Cowboys need a running back. That’s a weird thing to say, considering this team has been fortunate to lean on standout runners DeMarco Murray, Ezekiel Elliott, and Tony Pollard, over the last decade. The fun stopped last season as the Cowboys decided to skimp at the position and rely on undrafted free agent Rico Dowdle to do the heavy lifting.
Now, even Dowdle is gone, and the Cowboys are left figuring out how to improve the running back position with the answer residing in the upcoming draft. When will they pick a running back? It’s hard to say, but looking at the choices in this draft, here could be how the Cowboys decide to approach the running back position.
For the first couple of months of draft talks, there was a great debate about whether Boise State standout running back Ashton Jeanty was worth the 12th overall pick. It wasn’t so much a knock on Jeanty, but just how some aren’t interested in using premium draft capital on a non-premium position.
Now, with the draft almost upon us, that discussion is likely moot as it’s pretty evident that Jeanty has achieved superstar status and is not likely to be there when the Cowboys pick. Most mocks have him going to Las Vegas at sixth overall, and if he sneaks past them, Chicago will probably take him at 10. There is a small chance Jeanty slides to Dallas and if he does, the Cowboys shouldn’t hesitate to select him. An elite talent at one of the team’s biggest needs. It’s a no-brainer.
The next tier of running backs consists of North Carolina’s Omarion Hampton and Iowa’s Kaleb Johnson. Hampton gets all the buzz, but they are very similar runners. Both show great vision, can bounce off of would-be tacklers, and know when it hit the gas. They are also both effective out of the backfield as receivers.
Some have mocked Hampton to Dallas at 12, which is a huge uber-reach. Let’s hope that doesn’t happen. While 12 is way too early, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him go late in the first round. Unless something crazy happens, he’s out of range for the Cowboys in the second round. However, that might not be the case with Johnson. He’s projected to go in the middle of the second round and is in striking distance of where the Cowboys pick. While it’s not flashy, landing Johnson should give the Cowboys a forget-it and set-it running back to rely on in 2025.
The Cowboys could just end the suspense of the running back saga by picking a running back at 44, as there will be good options available. If they miss out on the top three, they shouldn’t fret because the Ohio State...
