One thing that’s clear about Dallas Cowboys head coach and offensive play-caller Brian Schottenheimer is his desire to run the ball in 2025.
After seeing Rico Dowdle struggle as part of a running back committee for half a season, he thrived once given the lead role, surpassing 1,000 rushing yards.
During Schottenheimer’s tenure as the Seattle Seahawks’ offensive coordinator (2018-2020), the offense ranked top-10 in points, second in rushing attempts, and first in rushing yards (2018), third in attempts and fourth in yards (2019), and then fourth in yards again (2020), before a decline in 2020.
Schottenheimer is clearly focused on running the ball, using play-action to complement it. This brings us to the upcoming draft and Dallas’ No. 12 pick. With numerous options and multiple team needs, NFL.com suggests Boise State star Ashton Jeanty could be the pick for the Cowboys.
“After seeing the ground game struggle without an elite running back, Jerry Jones adds a proven star in Jeanty to revitalize the offense,” NFL.com states.
We’ve seen the impact players like Saquon Barkley and Derrick Henry had on their teams, and after a disappointing season running the football, the Cowboys might look to Jeanty for a boost to their run game.
Could Jeanty be “The Next Saquon”?
Of course, there are other areas of need, such as a complementary receiver for CeeDee Lamb, a defensive lineman, and more.
But with Schottenheimer’s focus on the running game, Jeanty could be the first-round pick, or alternatively, North Carolina’s Omarion Hampton or Arizona State’s Cameron Skattebo might be selected in later rounds.
One thing is certain: the Cowboys will be looking to significantly improve their running game in 2025, and the draft could be the key to making that happen.
