The Dallas Cowboys‘ RB group has seen significant turnover over the past two years, and that trend could continue into the foreseeable future. Dallas brought Ezekiel Elliott back into the fray this offseason but also signed veteran RB Royce Freeman.
But in terms of moves after this season, ESPN analyst Matt Miller wrote that the team will look for a young star to lead the group: RB Quinshon Judkins. Judkins has been a standout for Ole Miss but is expected to be a national star for Ohio State in 2024.
“We’re back to running backs in the first round!?” Miller wrote in his July 2 early mock draft. “Judkins has elite talent, and Dallas ignored the position throughout this offseason beyond a reunion with 29-year-old Ezekiel Elliott. Judkins rushed for 2,725 yards and scored 31 rushing touchdowns over two years with Ole Miss before transferring to Ohio State. He will share carries with TreVeyon Henderson there, but the new Buckeye has Heisman-level talent and the burst and balance to be a great NFL running back.”
Judkins is an exciting player, and should only get better in his new role with Ohio State. Considering that there are no apparent long-term leaders in the Cowboys’ RB group, selecting Judkins makes sense.
What to Know About Quinshon Judkins
Through two years of college ball, Judkins looks like the full package. The college junior is not just putting up high-volume stats, but he’s averaging 5 yards a carry while doing so.
According to Sports Reference, Judkins totaled 1,567 rushing yards as a freshman in 2022. He then followed up with 1,158 rushing yards in 2023. His drop in total yards correlated to Ole Miss leaning into its passing offense and QB Jaxson Dart.
But what has not wavered is Judkins’ nose for the end zone. After 17 touchdowns for the Rebels in 2022, the 20-year-old added another 17 last fall.
By transferring to Ohio State, Judkins will be joining a school in the front-running for a national championship. The only thing missing from the RB’s resume is a conference and national trophy and there’s reason to think he’ll obtain those with the Buckeyes.
Cowboys Could Still Sign Dalvin Cook
Judkins is an option for the 2025 NFL draft, but the Cowboys could still add reinforcements before the 2024 season. Bleacher Report writer For Kristopher Knox, signing Dalvin Cook seems like the right move for Dallas.
“Adding another back to the mix would be sensible because if the offense doesn’t have balance, Prescott is going to face a lot of pressure,” Knox wrote on June 24. “It would behoove the Cowboys to at least kick the tires on Dalvin Cook. The four-time Pro Bowler appeared to lose a step in 2022 and struggled to get on the field in 2023.”
If Cook is available for cheap, it’s worth considering. But Spotrac estimated that Dallas was $20 million over the salary cap for this year. Even getting Cook for $2 million to $5 million this season is tough to budget considering where the Cowboys are at financially.
Dallas could always make moves to open up space, but Cook or any other free agency RB probably wouldn’t work.
