The links between the Dallas Cowboys and Texas Longhorns running back Bijan Robinson are getting increasingly harder to ignore as the 2023 NFL Draft approaches.
And on Tuesday, Cowboys EVP Stephen Jones added a bit of fuel to that fire, remarking to reporters that the Cowboys are not against taking a running back in the first round.
That said, it also depends exactly where that running back is drafted, and it seems, had the Cowboys been picking in the top half of the draft, Robinson would have been unlikely.
However, as it stands, the Cowboys pick at No. 26, which is a spot Jones and the Cowboys would not be opposed to selecting a running back should they elect to go that route.
“If you’re taking a player in the top half, you’re hoping you’ve got a player who is going to be here for 10 years," Jones told reporters. "Normally we've said we have 18 to 20 first rounders on your board. Usually when you're picking 26 you're pretty lucky if there's still a first rounder left on your board."
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As it happens, according to most draft experts, Robinson is the lone running back with a first round grade, and is widely considered one of the top offensive prospects in the entire class.
And as we all know, the Cowboys are no strangers to prioritizing the top player on their board, over need and regardless of position
Tyler Smith, CeeDee Lamb, and Micah Parsons are all examples of that philosophy - each of which has worked out nicely for Dallas thus far.
Dallas will have much to figure out going forward at the position going forward, with Tony Pollard hitting the free agent market, and Ezekiel Elliott's future also seeming less and less clear by the day.
All things considered, having a fresh start at the position with one of the best prospects in recent memory who would be on a rookie deal for the next four years, doesn't seem like bad contingency plan.