Jaydon Blue

Over the past couple of years, it's been hard to figure out the Dallas Cowboys' plan at running back.

They let Tony Pollard walk after back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons during the 2024 offseason, and just watched Rico Dowdle sign with Carolina after he eclipsed 1,000 yards last fall. However, they may have lucked out by getting Jaydon Blue in the fifth round this year.

The Texas product received a third-round grade from the B/R scouting department, primarily due to his combination of patience and explosiveness.

"As a runner, Blue is patient in allowing lanes to develop," Parson wrote . “He follows his blocks into the open field. He is not rushed or sped up; he runs the ball at a good pace.

"Blue is a charged-up runner with explosive burst/acceleration once a lane is created. With his burst, he outruns pursuing defenders to the edges and is an angle-beater once he breaks contain. Blue is a fast-track ball-carrier with great top-end speed. He will rip off long runs at max speed, generating explosive plays frequently."

Meanwhile, Dallas should have an open competition at running back. To replace Dowdle, the front office signed Javonte Williams and Miles Sanders in free agency, both of whom are on cheap one-year deals after being castaways by the Denver Broncos and Carolina Panthers, respectively.

So, Blue could easily be the team's lead back coming out of training camp, and the interior of the Cowboys' offensive line should be able to create plenty of rushing lanes this fall.

Tyler Smith is coming off consecutive Pro Bowl campaigns and is a monster in the running game, while Cooper Beebe was solid as a rookie and projects to make a big jump in year two at center. Also, rookie Tyler Booker was B/R’s second-ranked interior offensive lineman , largely due to what he brings as a run-blocker.