Dallas Cowboys: 5 Reasons Not To Draft A First Round Running Back

There are a five big reasons why the Dallas Cowboys will not jump up the 2015 NFL Draft ladder in order to replace the dearly departed running back DeMarco Murray. Those reasons are:

1. Tyron Smith

2. Travis Frederick

3. Zack Martin

4. Ronald Leary

5. Doug Free

The Cowboys front office allowed the NFL’s Offensive Player of the Year to jump ship this offseason because they are confident that Murray’s record setting 2014 campaign was more a product of the dominant Dallas offensive line than it was a case of DeMarco suddenly staying healthy and transforming into the best running back in the NFL overnight.

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While some may think the Cowboys are the number one contenders for the services of the Minnesota Viking’s disgruntled employee, running back Adrian Peterson. I believe America’s Team has a solid plan in place for their 2015 rushing attack that does not include paying the Peterson ransom.

Trading valuable future draft picks in order to obtain a slot high enough to be able to land either of the hot first round running back prospects, Todd Gurley or Melvin Gordon, should not be part of that plan.

The 2014 NFL’s top rated offensive line, according to Pro Football Focus, has a plan of their own… To transform new-hire running back Darren McFadden into the top rusher in the league.

Imagine the praise the Dallas O-Line will reap when McFadden is finally able to unleash the abilities that made him the number four overall selection in the 2008 NFL draft.

After seven long seasons of being battered behind one of the NFL’s lowest rated offensive lines, the holes opened up in Dallas will seem enormous to the 6’1″, 218 pound former Arkansas Razorback. In 2014, McFadden saw very little daylight running behind the NFL’s 24th ranked run blocking line.

And that line was significantly better than the 2013 Oakland offensive line that ranked 31st and the 2012 O-line that ranked 29th in the NFL blocking for the Silver and Black running backs.

Running behind those pathetic offensive lines the past three seasons, McFadden was only able to manage a paltry 3.3 yards per carry over that span.

However, if you go back to 2011, when the Raiders offensive line ranked a respectable 15th in the league, McFadden’s yards per carry was a Murray-like 5.4. (DeMarco’s 2014 yards per carry was 4.7.) If you bust out the old Texas Instruments T1-57 calculator and crunch the numbers, the Cowboys new #20 plus the #1 offensive line equals huge numbers for 2015.

I know, I know, McFadden is an old man in running back years (7) and he is injury prone to boot. I don’t think the NFL keeps this stat, but I am willing to bet the number of running backs that have played 16 games behind a bottom-ranked offensive line is pretty low. Keep in mind, McFadden was able to play in all 16 Raider games in 2014.

McFadden will also be a man on a mission in 2015. Back on April 3rd, he told the NFL Network:

"“I just want to go out there and continue to show people what I can do, I still don’t think the world has seen the best of Darren McFadden.”"

While I don’t see McFadden carrying the load that DeMarco did last year, I do see him having a career year and being a major contributor for the Cowboys in 2015.

You can bet he will thank his offensive line every step of the way.

Don’t be shocked if Dallas does not go running back on Thursday, April 30th.

There is no need to reach if what you are looking for is already in your grasp.

Next: Cowboys Could Make Another Draft Day Deal

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