Cowboys insider fuels that one draft rumor fans want to forget

The Dallas Cowboys have overhauled their offense this offseason, and a mock draft just opened the door for a rumor that will split the fanbase.

The Dallas Cowboys made two big acquisitions this offseason, one player for each side of the line of scrimmage. On defense, they acquired Indianapolis Colts cornerback Stephon Gilmore to pair alongside Trevon Diggs. Then, on offense, the Cowboys gave a call to the Houston Texans and were able to get wide receiver Brandin Cooks off of their hands, giving them a solid top-three wide receiver corps alongside CeeDee Lamb and Michael Gallup.

Now the attention will be on the NFL Draft. The Cowboys are selecting 26th overall in the first round, and fans are wondering how they will use it. Well, in The Athletic’s “Beat Writer Mock Draft” (subscription required), Cowboys writer Jon Machota reignited the draft rumors of Dallas using their first-round pick on Texas Longhorns running back Bijan Robinson.

“The Cowboys would have to be absolutely thrilled if Robinson fell to 26,” writes Machota. “He’s the type of elite talent they’d probably select if they had a top-15 pick. With Ezekiel Elliott released and Tony Pollard franchise-tagged, running back is one of Dallas’ biggest needs. They are expected to pick one by Round 4, but none would make the immediate impact that Robinson would in the running and passing game. The Cowboys’ offense lacked playmakers in 2022. That would no longer be a problem with Robinson, Pollard, CeeDee Lamb, Brandin Cooks and Michael Gallup. Clemson DT Bryan Bresee would have been the pick had Robinson already been drafted.”

New mock draft has Cowboys selecting Texas RB Bijan Robinson

The Cowboys have long been linked to Robinson. But now, the connection is growing even stronger, especially with the Cowboys having a need at the position.

This offseason, Dallas placed the franchise tag on running back Tony Pollard, who was scheduled to be a free agent. Then, the Cowboys released the former fourth-overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft Ezekiel Elliott. That move came due to his huge cap hit for the 2023 season. Not to mention that his production has taken a hit.

Moving on from Elliott and bringing in Robinson on a rookie contract does make sense. Robinson is a legitimate top-10 prospect in this year’s draft class, but there is the belief in the NFL world that using a very high draft pick on a running back isn’t ideal. But, there’s a chance that Robinson could go at some point before the Cowboys are on the clock at 26th overall.

This past season, Robinson ran for a ridiculous 1,580 yards and 18 touchdowns on 258 carries. That’s right, he averaged 6.1 yards per carry. Not to mention that he 19 passes for 314 yards and two touchdowns.

Overall, Robinson recorded 3,410 rushing yards and 33 rushing touchdowns on 539 carries (6.3 yards per carry) in his three years at Texas.

The first night of the NFL Draft is on Apr. 27, so there is still plenty of time to see picks for teams change. Then, fans will see if the Cowboys will select Robinson, or if he’ll even be on the board when they are officially on the clock.