The Dallas Cowboys’ running game has been a far cry from the record-setting days of Emmitt Smith during the team’s three Super Bowl wins in the early to mid-1990s.
Former coach Mike McCarthy’s team ran for four yards per carry during the 2024 season, ranking near the bottom of the NFL in that category, and are expected to be in the hunt for new pieces to make their running game one of the NFL’s best in 2025 regardless of who coaches Jerry Jones’ team.
On Thursday, the Cowboys got a crystal ball for a record-setting college running back to potentially replace Rico Dowdle, who led Dallas in rushing with 1,079 yards on 4.6 yards per carry last season.

Rico Dowdle celebrates with lineman Brock Hoffman against the Commanders on Jan. 5. © Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images © Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images
The Cowboys were projected to select Boise State running back and Heisman finalist Ashton Jeanty with the 12th pick in Luke Easterling’s latest 2025 NFL mock draft.
“This feels like a lazy pick at this point, but there’s just no denying how much the Cowboys need to balance out their offense with a quality ground attack,” Easterling wrote, calling Jeanty an “elite prospect” at the position.
“He’s a top-10 overall talent in the draft, and could instantly transform Dallas’ offensive identity with his three-down skill set.”
Jeanty finished second all-time in Division-I rushing yards for a single season, 27 behind Barry Sanders’ record.
The 5-foot-9, 215 pound Jacksonville, Florida native racked up 2,601 yards and 29 touchdowns on the ground last season while adding 138 yards and one touchdown receiving for good measure.