The Cowboys have been active this offseason and have shown they are all in on winning a Super Bowl next season. There is only one last piece to the puzzle and most would argue that is running back and defensive tackle.
Both positions will surely be addressed in the 2023 draft, including running back after the Cowboys inked Ronald Jones to a one-year deal. Following the release of Ezekiel Elliott, though, there’s widespread debate on social media about whether Dallas should draft Texas prodigy Bijan Robinson in the first round.
Elliott’s release and the Cowboys trading for Brandin Cooks and Stephon Gilmore, and re-signing several key free agents, the concept of drafting Robinson in Round 1 makes a lot more sense. It would reset the money at the position, and Robinson is considered one of the best RB prospects of the last decade.
We’re in favor of drafting Robinson, and here are a few reasons why Dallas should draft the Longhorn phenom at No. 26 overall.
3 reasons the Cowboys should draft Bijan Robinson
1. Tony Pollard playing on essentially a one-year deal
Pollard will be the Cowboy’s number-one running back for this upcoming season after the release of Ezekiel Elliot. He had a breakout year last season, rushing for 1,000 yards and making his first Pro Bowl, but it ended with a gruesome injury that sidelined him for most of the Divisional Round loss to the 49ers.
Pollard will play under the franchise tag this season, and coming off injury productivity is questioned. The Cowboys are banking on him being the same Pollard from last season. But what happens after that? Is Dallas going to give another back a big contract or are they going to let him walk in free agency?
Drafting Bijan Robinson gives the Cowboys leverage over Pollard, and minimizes the potential domino effect if Pollard struggles to replicate his 2022 form post-injury, or if he pursues greener pastures as a free agent next year.
2. Bijan Robinson is a generational talent
Bijan Robinson is a top-10 NFL prospect regardless of position and his numbers at the University of Texas show how he will become a number-one running back in the league. Bijan has great size and acceleration, he can power through tackles and when downfield he accelerates with great speed.
Robinson’s change of direction and grit allow him to create explosive plays and make the opposing team struggle to bring him down.
He’s also developed into a better pass-blocker, which will be crucial in replacing Elliott. Pollard has also improved in pass protection, but Robinson’s size profiles as a like-for-like replacement for Zeke in that regard. If Dak is protected, this offense will flourish.
3. Robinson would be the best player available
The Cowboys have the No. 26 overall pick in this year’s draft. Bijan is a top-10 prospect as mentioned before, but drafting a running back in the first round is questioned. When a generational talent is still on the board that late in the first round, however, there is no other option but to take him.
Robinson can go way before Dallas’ selection, but if he’s still there why not take him? Besides Pollard, we have no other proven running back. Ronald Jones has had one good season, Rico Dowdle is oft-injured, and Malik Davis saw minimal playing time even when Pollard went down.
This year’s draft could be a mirror of what happened in the 2020 draft when CeeDee Lamb fell to the Cowboys in the middle of Round 1. There were other positions of greater need, but the talent of Lamb was too great to pass up.
Further, if Bijan is taken at No. 26, his rookie contract will not be as big as Elliott’s was when he was drafted, which was four years for $24.9 million, so the financial risk is minimal. Bijan can provide the Cowboys with a two-man punch at the running back position next season, and give them a new star player.
Who says no?
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