Cowboys legend Emmitt Smith feels Dallas isn't 'ready' to draft star RB Ashton Jeanty

You guys are acting like I’m just making this stuff up to make the Cowboys look bad. This is proven for decades that drafting a RB high is a mistake. Like time and time and time again. We could go back 10 years, 15 years, 20 years and I bet we find less than 25% of the RBs were even worth their draft position, and less then that were actually success stories beyond the regular season.

Hold on and let me compile it……..

Alright, over the last 20 years here is where we stand:

2023 - Bijan Robinson 8th Falcons

2022 - Jamhyr Gibbs 12th Lions

2018 - Saquon Barkley 2nd Giants

2017 - Leonard Fournette 4th Jaguars

2017 - Christian McCaffrey 8th Panthers

2016 - Ezekiel Elliot 4th Cowboys

2015 - Todd Gurley 10th Rams

2012 - Trent Richardson 3rd Browns

2010 - CJ Spiller 9th Bills

2010 - Ryan Mathews 12th Chargers

2009 - Knowshon Moreno 9th Broncos

2008 - Darren Mcfadden 4th Raiders

2007 - Adrian Peterson 7th Vikings

2007 - Marshawn Lynch 12th Bills

2006 - Reggie Bush 6th Saints

2005 - Ronnie Brown 2nd Dolphins

2005 - Cedric Benson 4th Bears

2005 - Cadillac Williams 5th Bucs



20 years, 18 top 12 running backs. Do you want to take a guess at which RB won the most playoff games while A) playing for the original team that drafted them, and either B) started the playoff wins, or C) had at least 10 carries off the bench? ((drafting a bust and then winning in spite of them is probably not what you mean when you say you want Jeanty))

If you guessed Ezekiel Elliot, you’d be right! No player gave their drafting team 3 playoff wins through their entire career while being either the feature back or an important rotational piece. Zeke is tied with a few others for the winningest RB taken in the last 20 years amongst the top 12 picks, at 2 playoff wins.

If you ignore the bust rule, Reggie Bush beats him out with 4 games where he had a grand total of 29 total carries. Even with him, 18 combined running backs totaled 15 playoff wins, or 0.8 playoff wins per top 12 pick.

This isn’t a trick, some mind game, or nonsense. Taking a RB that high is known by everyone as something badly run franchises do. Do you see Green Bay on that list? Philadelphia? New England? Baltimore? Seattle, San Francisco, Kansas City? It’s the pre-Mcvay Rams, the previous owner Broncos, the previous owner Bills and other ne’erdowells.

Lines, lines, lines. Draft more lineman, get a RB cheap in FA or through trade or later in the draft like every successful team does. Why add another name to the list? This is a telltale sign of a badly run franchise.
 
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Aerolithe_Lion said:
A number 2 only because you have better, not a number 2 caliber. Philadelphia took a #2 that high, Detroit took a number #2 that high, Cincinnati took a #2 that high who ended out outproducing the #1. None of those teams regret that decision
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Are you insinuating the Bengals took Chase with a top 5 pick with intentions he would be a number 2 to Higgins? If so that’s incorrect. I don’t beee to waste a first to find a receiver…not a number two.
Aerolithe_Lion said:
We just made the SB the year before…. Without Barkley. We were fine on offense, we had the 30th ranked D in 2023. We upgraded it to #1 this year; we were gonna be really good in 2024 with or without Barkley; he was just icing.
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So sign Barkley? Why not just sign anyone?
 
Aerolithe_Lion said:
You guys are acting like I’m just making this stuff up to make the Cowboys look bad. This is proven for decades that drafting a RB high is a mistake. Like time and time and time again. We could go back 10 years, 15 years, 20 years and I bet we find less than 25% of the RBs were even worth their draft position, and less then that were actually success stories beyond the regular season.

Hold on and let me compile it……..

Alright, over the last 20 years here is where we stand:

2023 - Bijan Robinson 8th Falcons

2022 - Jamhyr Gibbs 12th Lions

2018 - Saquon Barkley 2nd Giants

2017 - Leonard Fournette 4th Jaguars

2017 - Christian McCaffrey 8th Panthers

2016 - Ezekiel Elliot 4th Cowboys

2015 - Todd Gurley 10th Rams

2012 - Trent Richardson 3rd Browns

2010 - CJ Spiller 9th Bills

2010 - Ryan Mathews 12th Chargers

2009 - Knowshon Moreno 9th Broncos

2008 - Darren Mcfadden 4th Raiders

2007 - Adrian Peterson 7th Vikings

2007 - Marshawn Lynch 12th Bills

2006 - Reggie Bush 6th Saints

2005 - Ronnie Brown 2nd Dolphins

2005 - Cedric Benson 4th Bears

2005 - Cadillac Williams 5th Bucs



20 years, 18 top 12 running backs. Do you want to take a guess at which RB won the most playoff games while A) playing for the original team that drafted them, and either B) started the playoff wins, or C) had at least 10 carries off the bench? ((drafting a bust and then winning in spite of them is probably not what you mean when you say you want Jeanty))

If you guessed Ezekiel Elliot, you’d be right! No player gave their drafting team 3 playoff wins through their entire career while being either the feature back or an important rotational piece. Zeke is tied with a few others for the winningest RB taken in the last 20 years amongst the top 12 picks, at 2 playoff wins.

If you ignore the bust rule, Reggie Bush beats him out with 4 games where he had a grand total of 29 total carries. Even with him, 18 combined running backs totaled 15 playoff wins, or 0.8 playoff wins per top 12 pick.

This isn’t a trick, some mind game, or nonsense. Taking a RB that high is known by everyone as something badly run franchises do. Do you see Green Bay on that list? Philadelphia? New England? Baltimore? Seattle, San Francisco, Kansas City? It’s the pre-Mcvay Rams, the previous owner Broncos, the previous owner Bills and other ne’erdowells.

Lines, lines, lines. Draft more lineman, get a RB cheap in FA or through trade or later in the draft like every successful team does. Why add another name to the list? This is a telltale sign of a badly run franchise.
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No one is saying use a top 10 pick on a back. We are talking about a mid round pick where all of the elite options might bounce available. You are just continuing to be dishonest in your argument. You listed mostly guys taken top 10.
 
TheMarathonContinues said:
Are you insinuating the Bengals took Chase with a top 5 pick with intentions he would be a number 2 to Higgins? If so that’s incorrect. I don’t beee to waste a first to find a receiver…not a number two.

So sign Barkley? Why not just sign anyone?
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They took Chase with the knowledge that they already had a 1000 yard WR and one would compliment the other. If Chase elevated Higgins and he started catching 1500 yards and Chase was a 1300 yard guy, it still would have been a great pick

Barkley was cheap, why not get the best back you can when they’re going for a pittance. 13m$ a year is less than the Jags gave Gabe Davis.
 
TheMarathonContinues said:
No one is saying use a top 10 pick on a back. We are talking about a mid round pick where all of the elite options might bounce available. You are just continuing to be dishonest in your argument. You listed mostly guys taken top 10.
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12th overall is closer to 10th than 16th. You calling it a mid round pick is more dishonest about what it is than referring to it as top 10 (which I never did). The reality is drafting a RB anywhere in that area is a phenomenal waste of draft resources.
 
Aerolithe_Lion said:
12th overall is closer to 10th than 16th. You calling it a mid round pick is more dishonest about what it is than referring to it as top 10 (which I never did). The reality is drafting a RB anywhere in that area is a phenomenal waste of draft resources.
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unless you believe that is the missing piece to winning a SB and turns out it is.

sort of craps all over your premise
 
gtb1943 said:
unless you believe that is the missing piece to winning a SB and turns out it is.

sort of craps all over your premise
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Based on what you’ve seen over the last couple years, Do you believe the cowboys are 1 rookie RB away from winning the SB?
 
Aerolithe_Lion said:
Right, but how will that affect wins and losses? You can get a star RB and that’s great, but he doesn’t plug the more important positions that more directly affect winning football games. Atlanta had a top 6 run game in the NFL and drafted Bijan…. Only for it to have zero affect on their season outlook. Las Vegas is the same team before Josh Jacobs led the league in rushing, while he was leading the league in rushing, and after he led the league in rushing. Adrian Peterson won zero playoff games in the other x number of seasons he played beyond the Favre one.

Spending a pick that high on a position that doesn’t dramatically improve the Dallas Cowboys is the exact reason you’re in this predicament in the first place.
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Yup. RB is a piece, no more.
 
DoctorChicken said:
The Cowboys have built up the OL? They’ve gone OL in the first the last 2 out of 3 years.

Can’t this team figure out how to fix the OL without spending a 1st round pick on it? There are only a couple OTs in this draft worth a first who will probably be gone at our pick, and we just went OT in the first last year.

Idk if OG needs much help.
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Nope,they cannot. Comes from having a GM who is lazy and doesn't do his work.
 
Aerolithe_Lion said:
12th overall is closer to 10th than 16th. You calling it a mid round pick is more dishonest about what it is than referring to it as top 10 (which I never did). The reality is drafting a RB anywhere in that area is a phenomenal waste of draft resources.
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I don’t think Gibbs or Bijan are a waste of resources. Lions didn’t lose because they took him with the 12th overall pick.
And most of the guys you listed were top 10 and top 5 picks.
 
Aerolithe_Lion said:
They took Chase with the knowledge that they already had a 1000 yard WR and one would compliment the other. If Chase elevated Higgins and he started catching 1500 yards and Chase was a 1300 yard guy, it still would have been a great pick

Barkley was cheap, why not get the best back you can when they’re going for a pittance. 13m$ a year is less than the Jags gave Gabe Davis.
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Chase was arguably the best player in the draft. There is no Chase in this draft lol. It’s a silly point.
 
Aerolithe_Lion said:
You guys are acting like I’m just making this stuff up to make the Cowboys look bad. This is proven for decades that drafting a RB high is a mistake. Like time and time and time again. We could go back 10 years, 15 years, 20 years and I bet we find less than 25% of the RBs were even worth their draft position, and less then that were actually success stories beyond the regular season.

Hold on and let me compile it……..

Alright, over the last 20 years here is where we stand:

2023 - Bijan Robinson 8th Falcons

2022 - Jamhyr Gibbs 12th Lions

2018 - Saquon Barkley 2nd Giants

2017 - Leonard Fournette 4th Jaguars

2017 - Christian McCaffrey 8th Panthers

2016 - Ezekiel Elliot 4th Cowboys

2015 - Todd Gurley 10th Rams

2012 - Trent Richardson 3rd Browns

2010 - CJ Spiller 9th Bills

2010 - Ryan Mathews 12th Chargers

2009 - Knowshon Moreno 9th Broncos

2008 - Darren Mcfadden 4th Raiders

2007 - Adrian Peterson 7th Vikings

2007 - Marshawn Lynch 12th Bills

2006 - Reggie Bush 6th Saints

2005 - Ronnie Brown 2nd Dolphins

2005 - Cedric Benson 4th Bears

2005 - Cadillac Williams 5th Bucs



20 years, 18 top 12 running backs. Do you want to take a guess at which RB won the most playoff games while A) playing for the original team that drafted them, and either B) started the playoff wins, or C) had at least 10 carries off the bench? ((drafting a bust and then winning in spite of them is probably not what you mean when you say you want Jeanty))

If you guessed Ezekiel Elliot, you’d be right! No player gave their drafting team 3 playoff wins through their entire career while being either the feature back or an important rotational piece. Zeke is tied with a few others for the winningest RB taken in the last 20 years amongst the top 12 picks, at 2 playoff wins.

If you ignore the bust rule, Reggie Bush beats him out with 4 games where he had a grand total of 29 total carries. Even with him, 18 combined running backs totaled 15 playoff wins, or 0.8 playoff wins per top 12 pick.

This isn’t a trick, some mind game, or nonsense. Taking a RB that high is known by everyone as something badly run franchises do. Do you see Green Bay on that list? Philadelphia? New England? Baltimore? Seattle, San Francisco, Kansas City? It’s the pre-Mcvay Rams, the previous owner Broncos, the previous owner Bills and other ne’erdowells.

Lines, lines, lines. Draft more lineman, get a RB cheap in FA or through trade or later in the draft like every successful team does. Why add another name to the list? This is a telltale sign of a badly run franchise.
Click to expand...
I stopped reading after you tried attributing team wins to an individual player: “No player (meaning RB) gave their drafting team 3 playoff wins […]”

We just understand football on a fundamentally different level.
 
Aerolithe_Lion said:
No one player saves an entire franchise. But statistically and historically RB has been one of the least impactful. DE is not as prevalent as DT, but still one of the better ones, and 1 year does not define an entire career’s impact
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Oh, so now you want nuanced thinking and context.
 
Jeanty is clearly a great player. The issue in Dallas is that they need so much. Thanks to all the 1 year contracts and terrible drafting the DL is barren. Injuries will force them to look at CB and LB. Their OTs suck. Those are premium positions that usually need early picks to get hits on.
 
stilltheguru said:
Building up the oline. Saquan is running behind the best oline in the league. Saquan behind our line would do minimal playoff damage.

Once oline and front 4 are solidified THEN you worry about the back.
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:hammer: :hammer::hammer:
 
stinkface said:
Jimmy Johnson said you need guys who score touchdowns or keep the other team from scoring touchdowns. A Pro Bowl running back can do that for you. The Eagles would not be in the Super Bowl without Barkley.

PS. Not saying he is Barkley, but he is hands down the best back in the draft.
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The Eagles are in the Super Bowl because of their #1 defense, not because of Barkley.
 
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