Jerry Jones let the whole league know who Cowboys want to draft next

The Dallas Cowboys were active on the first night of the NFL Draft, trading back from No. 24 to No. 29 and landing Tyler Guyton, the talented O-lineman from Oklahoma. Now Jerry Jones is forecasting his next pick to the entire league, with the Cowboys slated to use the 56th pick on a position of need.

When asked about Dallas' need for RB help, Jones was unafraid to be effusive in his praise of Texas Longhorns speedster Jonathon Brooks. So honest was Jones, that it could complicate the Cowboys' pursuit of Brooks tonight.

"In my 30 years I thought it was that I ever interviewed with a player. He’s outstanding. And he’s a great football player. We got him high, high, high. And he’s a good player." (via Todd Archer, ESPN)

The Cowboys clearly want Brooks. Is it worth burning a second-round pick on football's most fickle position? Probably, if the only alternatives are Rico Dowdle, Deuce Vaughn, and maybe Ezekiel Elliott. That doesn't mean the Cowboys won't face competition for Brooks' services, however, as the Philadelphia Eagles — equipped with the No. 53 pick — are also said to be interested in Texas' power-runner.

Cowboys have Texas RB Jonathon Brooks 'high, high, high' on NFL Draft board

Jones' straight-up saying the Cowboys want Brooks could make it even harder to land him. The Eagles and other teams into Brooks could be compelled to maneuver aggressively and potentially even trade up to stave off Dallas. If the Cowboys want to guarantee that Brooks stays in the Lone Star State, it could require that very approach — perhaps using some of the ammo acquired from yesterday's trade back to trade up and land Brooks.

An ACL injury and a lack of experience are the only major knocks against Brooks, who thrived stepping into Bijan Robinson's shoes with the Longhorns last season. The talented junior racked up 187 totes for 1,139 yards and 10 touchdowns across 11 starts. He also added 25 receptions for 286 yards and one score.

Listed at 6-foot-0 and 199 pounds, Brooks has the size and physicality to shed tackles in traffic and the open-field athleticism to create advantages and explode through gaps. The Cowboys seriously lack RB depth at the moment, and while the looming potential of a Zeke return carries sentimental weight, it doesn't really improve the Cowboys' offensive outlook. Brooks is a day-one bell cow that can win your fantasy football league and dominate behind Dallas' excellent offensive line.

We will see if Brooks actually falls to Dallas or if the Cowboys decide to get bold, but it doesn't take a master sleuth to figure out which prospect Jerry Jones is eyeing tonight.