The days of the Dallas Cowboys drafting a running back in the first round have seemingly ended. The last back to be taken at the top of their own draft was Ezekiel Elliott, who was selected fourth overall in 2016.
Elliott’s impact on the franchise was immediate and everlasting. He burst onto the scene with over 1,600 yards rushing, 15 touchdowns, and a first-team All-Pro nomination. After eclipsing over 1,000 yards in two of the next three seasons, Elliott’s production started to decline in 2020.
Since Mike McCarthy took over as head coach, Elliott crossed 1,000 yards just once in 2021 with 1,002.