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Cowboys RB plan should be crystal clear as next Ezekiel Elliott emerges

If the Cowboys want to establish a power running game next year, they should find a way to draft Quinshon Judkins.
ByRucker Haringey|
Feb 28, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Ohio State running back Quinshon Judkins (RB18) talks to the press during the 2025 NFL Combine at Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephanie Amador Blondet-Imagn Images
Feb 28, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Ohio State running back Quinshon Judkins (RB18) talks to the press during the 2025 NFL Combine at Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephanie Amador Blondet-Imagn Images | Stephanie Amador Blondet-Imagn Images

Bringing Ezekiel Elliott back into the fold did not work out for the Dallas Cowboys in 2024. Interestingly, drafting the new version of the former Pro Bowl running back might be the ideal draft decision for Jerry Jones and his front office to help them in 2025.

Ohio State star Quinshon Judkins isn't coming out of college with the same reputation that Elliott possessed, but his measurables and athletic testing are eerily similar to what Elliot posted ahead of the draft. It's easy to envision a scenario where the Cowboys front office views him as the right back to give their ground game a much-needed boost of physicality.

The good news for Cowboys fans who aren't wild about the idea of spending another premium pick on a running back is that, unlike Boise State star Ashton Jeanty, Judkins is not projected to be a first-rounder. Dallas should be able to pick him up in the second or third round, depending on how he performs during his Pro Day.

Why Quinshon Judkins could be ideal solution for Cowboys running game in 2025 NFL Draft

Landing Judkins outside of Day One would offer the Cowboys a chance to land a prospect at a more premium position with the No. 12 overall pick. Specifically, Dallas could use it on a dynamic defensive lineman capable of making Micah Parsons' life easier. The franchise desperately needs to find an interior lineman capable of helping them stymy opposing run games and generating a measure of pass rush.

That might disappoint Cowboy fans focused in on the idea of bringing Jeanty to Dallas. The former Boise State star is the consensus No. 1 back in this class and has the big-play ability to help any NFL offense become more dynamic. Selecting him in Round 1 would prevent the Cowboys from landing the defensive lineman they have to land in this draft.

In the end, Judkins can't give the Cowboys offense the same kind of juice that Jeanty can, but he can be acquired at a much more reasonable price. That makes drafting him the superior play for a Dallas roster that has several high-profile holes to fill via this year's draft. Getting the next Elliott outside of Round 1 would be a nice value play for Dallas.

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