So now what? The Cowboys slipped out of Round 1 of the NFL draft in pretty good shape on Thursday, dropping down to No. 29 overall in a trade with Detroit and pilfering a much-needed third-round pick in the process. They still came away with the talented offensive lineman they needed, taking tackle Tyler Guyton from Oklahoma. But there are so, so many holes yet to fill.
Help on the defensive line. Depth in the defensive backfield. Another wide receiver. Another linebacker. It’s a long list. But no spot is more prominent than running back.
At Pro Football Focus, they’re foreseeing the Cowboys adding a prominent name to fill that prominent hole, with Florida State running back Trey Benson picked as the ideal fit for the Cowboys. Dallas will go into the weekend in possession of picks Nos. 56 (second round), as well as 73 (third round) and 87 (also third), and it is possible that they look to find a long-term replacement for free-agent departure Tony Pollard by the time Saturday hits.
Benson is considered by some to be the best running back in this draft, which is low on ball-carriers.
Trey Benson’s Physical Style a Fit
Here’s what PFF wrote about the Cowboys’ potential next pick on Friday, in an article titled, “2024 NFL Draft: Day 2 draft fits for all 32 teams”:
“Running back is sure to be a critical focus of the Cowboys’ draft, and Benson’s vision and explosion make him an ideal fit. He forced 46 missed tackles on the ground and ripped off 24 explosive runs for the Seminoles in 2023.”
Benson is one of the favorites to land the job for the Cowboys, along with Texas running back Jonathon Brooks, who might well be a first-rounder if he were not coming back from a knee injury. When Brooks suffered an ACL tear in November against TCU, it was the Cowboys’ surgeon, Dr. Dan Cooper, who performed the repair on Brooks.
There’s some familiarity there between team and player, then. But Benson’s bruising style could, in the end, make him a better fit for the Cowboys. And the fact that he is healthy and ready to go is another point in his favor.
Cowboys Do Not Emphasize RBs in the NFL Draft
Benson rushed for 1,896 yards in 26 games over the past two seasons at Florida State, and scored 24 career touchdowns in college.
He could come to Dallas with the durability and experience to play three downs per series. He is 6-feet and 216 pounds, with surprising speed—he ran a 4.39 40-yard dash at the combine this year. Benson can catch out of the backfield and give the Cowboys a more than adequate replacement for Pollard.
Of course, we’ve seen over the years that the Cowboys have leaned into the notion that they do not need to expend hefty resources on running backs. They had an interest in bringing back Pollard, but even his three-year, $21 million contract from the Titans was too much for them.
Because of that, there’s no real guarantee they will use a second-rounder on a running back, either. They could be the only team picking one at that point—why not wait until Round 3 and instead try to pluck one of the excellent wide receivers in this 2024 class? Or fill the obvious need for depth at linebacker?
There will be options out there for the Cowboys, and holes to fill. But coming out of Day 2 with Benson on board would be a win.
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