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Emmitt Smith thinks the Cowboys are fine at running back

By Mike Dyce

Jan 31, 2015; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Dallas Cowboys former running back Emmitt Smith (left) and wife Patricia Southall on the red carpet prior to the NFL Honors award ceremony at Symphony Hall. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 31, 2015; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Dallas Cowboys former running back Emmitt Smith (left) and wife Patricia Southall on the red carpet prior to the NFL Honors award ceremony at Symphony Hall. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports /
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NFL all-time leading rusher Emmitt Smith thinks the Dallas Cowboys are fine at running back.

For the first time in history, the Dallas Cowboys did not draft a wide receiver, running back or quarterback. Instead, they had a blue collared draft and tried to shore up their defense.

It shocked many fans who expected the Cowboys to draft a running back in the early rounds to replace DeMarco Murray, who led the league in rushing in 2014 and signed with the Philadelphia Eagles in free agency.

One person who isn’t too concerned is the league’s all-time leading rusher and former Cowboy himself, Emmitt Smith.

“Darren McFadden, that is a running back you have to respect. You have to remember he played out in Oakland. Oakland doesn’t have what the Cowboys have,” Smith said during an interview on KRLD-FM on Tuesday, via the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. “Having an offensive line, and a quarterback like Tony Romo, and some receivers, and a system that makes some doggone sense, he can become a better running back in this system.

“And (with backup running back Joseph) Randle, you can have a nice one-two punch. The one thing with McFadden, if he gets some of those running lanes that I saw DeMarco have last year, and it’s on — he can take it to the house.”

McFadden, like Murray, has had his history with injuries. McFadden has also only had a single 1,000 yard rushing season in the NFL. The more telling stat is that he has averaged just under 3.4 yards per carry over the last three seasons.

Smith brings up a fair point that McFadden was playing in Oakland and the Cowboys offensive line is better, but some would say that Murray did a great job making the offensive line look stellar.

The Cowboys are certainly hoping that Smith is right and they appear to be all in on McFadden in 2015.

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