The case for taking Ezekiel Elliot at # 4

[Craig]

who in next year's draft is better than Elliot? No one period,

Well if he were in this years draft, fournette would likely be the consensus #1 back, so hes 1 guy.

 

[DandyDon52]

I'm fine with Elliott, but would prefer
if we got him at that it be later.
If we end up taking him at 4 (I say the odds are extremely slim of that) I'd look forward and be excited about the here and now.
I like his odds of being good....and behind our line even great!

I do think of marginal benefits though.

If our current group of backs can get 1400-1500 but Elliot as a workhorse can get 1500-1600,
Is the extra 100-200 yards worth the 4th overall pick in the entire draft?

It isnt about how many yards they get, it is getting the first downs when needed, or like getting
5-7 yards on 1st down, or making a big play when it is needed,

In 2014 seattle, the drive that sealed the win, was all murray, romo just handed off to him the whole drive,
and the last 14 for a td.
now that was only like 60 yards , but it was very important 60 yards.

1 good back as opposed to 2, offers a psychological advantage too.

 

[DandyDon52]

You have to go back 15 years to find a single RB taken in the top 4 that was worth it.
One...in 15 years

And just a side note..
Next year's RB class will be strong

Of course, so will the QB class

yeah but your forgetting the OL we have, and what I am thinking is if we got elliot, and we used
all 3 backs, and if one gets banged up rest him, the dallas run game would be not good, but awesome.
Start McF, then in late part of 2nd qtr, put elliot in fresh ! Defense is tired, he is fresh.
Same thing for the 4th qtr.
and mix in some morris,

 

[Vinnie2u]

who in next year's draft is better than Elliot? No one period,

Well at the top of my head:
1. Fournette
2. Cook
3. Mcaffery
4. Chubb ( injury concern)
5. Gallman

 

[Oh_Canada]

So, with that theory, how do you explain Romo not being drafted?

Huh? See no connection.

 

[Oh_Canada]

personally I don't think Elliot will be there I think the eagles will trade up to three to pick him before we do. this young man is a really good football player he can pass block the blitz and is really good catching the ball out of the backfield. who would u rather have a corner that gets two or three picks if he has a really good year or a de that gets three or four sacks or a three tool running back behind this line. if this line is the best unit on your team then get the very best back.

Zero chance of that happening.

 

[Redball Express]

It's because of the value the team has placed on the running back position. We wouldn't even sign Lamar Miller to $6.5M AAV - let alone $6M/year guaranteed. I just don't see us giving a running back - even Zeke - that kind of money.

I could be wrong, though, like anyone else. I don't work for the Cowboys, so I'm just using past evidence to make my claims.

Of course..

understood.

But when I look at the money to be spent on Murray before he left..

which I think was around $7 mil I think..

and we are currently paying DMac what..$1-2mil this year and Morris $2mil+?

Them together plus $5 mil for Elliot?

Still close to what they were going to pay Murray to stay but he left for more.

I'd take those 3 guys and take my chances.

Dunbar is not a factor to me as he has been nothing but a fringe contributor and doesn't survive the workload.

They need to let him go.

The money is not the main issue.. its the needed results.

If we get back to playing like 2014..nobody will care.

The defense is going to get more help in the draft and FAs as cuts happen after the draft.

Marinelli will be getting back Scandrick and they will draft another DL to go with what we have and our defense will improve when the suspensions end and injuries heal.

If the defense can just manage 30-40 or so quality snaps a game on average and not 60-70..

we will win.

I don't see the defense as desparately a problem.

Its something to game plan for..not panic about.

We were in most of our games last year but the offense was DOA.

Fix that.

 

[Denim Chicken]

who in next year's draft is better than Elliot? No one period,

I bet you if we don't draft him, Alfred Morris end up with more yards.

 

[Dundalis]

Significant extra value is being added to Elliot's stock because of his blocking and catching IMO. They are adding up to present him as one of those special Peterson type backs, when the fact is, when you forget those two things, purely as a runner, he's a clear rung below Todd Gurley. Very very very good, but not special when it purely comes to running. Regardless of how good his blocking or catching skills are, I think you have to be a special runner to warrant taking a running back top 5. And he's not at that level.

 

[Hardline]

Significant extra value is being added to Elliot's stock because of his blocking and catching IMO. They are adding up to present him as one of those special Peterson type backs, when the fact is, when you forget those two things, purely as a runner, he's a clear rung below Todd Gurley. Very very very good, but not special when it purely comes to running. Regardless of how good his blocking or catching skills are, I think you have to be a special runner to warrant taking a running back top 5. And he's not at that level.

Someone show this guy some Elliott game tape.

 

[casmith07]

Of course..

understood.

But when I look at the money to be spent on Murray before he left..

which I think was around $7 mil I think..

and we are currently paying DMac what..$1-2mil this year and Morris $2mil+?

Them together plus $5 mil for Elliot?

Still close to what they were going to pay Murray to stay but he left for more.

I'd take those 3 guys and take my chances.

Dunbar is not a factor to me as he has been nothing but a fringe contributor and doesn't survive the workload.

They need to let him go.

The money is not the main issue.. its the needed results.

If we get back to playing like 2014..nobody will care.

The defense is going to get more help in the draft and FAs as cuts happen after the draft.

Marinelli will be getting back Scandrick and they will draft another DL to go with what we have and our defense will improve when the suspensions end and injuries heal.

If the defense can just manage 30-40 or so quality snaps a game on average and not 60-70..

we will win.

I don't see the defense as desparately a problem.

Its something to game plan for..not panic about.

We were in most of our games last year but the offense was DOA.

Fix that.

The money that was going to be spent on Murray was up to $7M (maybe, depending on who you believe) AVERAGE a year, though, not guaranteed for four years with a fifth year option.

He was never going to get $24M-$28M guaranteed and still didn't even when he went to Philly. That's what I think people are missing - they see the $24M rookie cap number for the #4 pick and think "oh, $6M a year, Dallas will pay that for a running back" -- yes, for a total value contract. I don't see us giving $24M guaranteed to any running back not named Emmitt Smith.

 

[BHendri5]

Well if he were in this years draft, fournette would likely be the consensus #1 back, so hes 1 guy.

No, no, no, he would not, be, you see what happened to him when he started playing defenses that were not afraid to hit him. He would still be behind Elliot. Elliot is polished and ready to go, DAY 1!!!. Fourtunette you would have to work on his pass protections and some other key things that they do not have him do at LSU. Try again

 

[BHendri5]

Significant extra value is being added to Elliot's stock because of his blocking and catching IMO. They are adding up to present him as one of those special Peterson type backs, when the fact is, when you forget those two things, purely as a runner, he's a clear rung below Todd Gurley. Very very very good, but not special when it purely comes to running. Regardless of how good his blocking or catching skills are, I think you have to be a special runner to warrant taking a running back top 5. And he's not at that level.

You need glasses, or you have not seen this kid run the ball

 

[BHendri5]

I bet you if we don't draft him, Alfred Morris end up with more yards.

You could be right, because without a good offensive Line, a RB cannot do very much, period. There has never been a RB that has done anything on his on. But if he were to end up with a team with just as good of an offensive line or even slightly below ours he will have more yards than Morris. Oh an please do not give me the Barry Sanders crap, RB was my position, and someone has to doing some kind of blocking for a RB to do anything against 11 defensive guys coming after him. Barry may not have had a very good line but they were blocking. His lineman often said that they just fired off and put a hat on someone because they did not know where Barry was going, because he never went where he was suppose to go. That is why Barry was taken out on short yardage plays and most goal line plays

 

[BHendri5]

Well at the top of my head:
1. Fournette
2. Cook
3. Mcaffery
4. Chubb ( injury concern)
5. Gallman

you do not watch very much football do you. You just proved to me that you are a high light watcher. Especially when you named McCaffrey and, Cook. I love McCaffrey but he will be come a slot/WR in the nfl, will not be able to hold up as a full time RB. Cook really? Chubb and is the real deal, but he is on par with Elliot even, Fournette, I thought he was another AP until I saw them play teams with defensive players that were not afraid of him

 

[Swagnutboyz]

Ask yourself, after taking EE with 4, where do get your QB presumably one to groom and perhaps a starter one day. Roll the dice and hope you can trade back in the first and get Lynch? Take a 2nd tier guy and buck the odds, Sacrificing a high pick in moving up? What about DL where the meat is in the 2nd?
Too much to sacrifice for any rb at 4.

 

[Denim Chicken]

You could be right, because without a good offensive Line, a RB cannot do very much, period. There has never been a RB that has done anything on his on. But if he were to end up with a team with just as good of an offensive line or even slightly below ours he will have more yards than Morris. Oh an please do not give me the Barry Sanders crap, RB was my position, and someone has to doing some kind of blocking for a RB to do anything against 11 defensive guys coming after him. Barry may not have had a very good line but they were blocking. His lineman often said that they just fired off and put a hat on someone because they did not know where Barry was going, because he never went where he was suppose to go. That is why Barry was taken out on short yardage plays and most goal line plays

Making my point for me. We have the OL, so we don't have to invest the top pick on a RB.

 

[Vinnie2u]

you do not watch very much football do you. You just proved to me that you are a high light watcher. Especially when you named McCaffrey and, Cook. I love McCaffrey but he will be come a slot/WR in the nfl, will not be able to hold up as a full time RB. Cook really? Chubb and is the real deal, but he is on par with Elliot even, Fournette, I thought he was another AP until I saw them play teams with defensive players that were not afraid of him

No you just a Zeke Homer. Here are Cooks stats last year:
Att: 229 yds: 1691 avg: 7.4 long: 94 TD:19

Zeke:
Att: 289 Yds: 1821 Avg: 6.3 long: 80 TD:23

Y'all make Zeke to be the second coming of AP or Bo Jackson. He's good but not worth #4

 

[DFWJC]

Well at the top of my head:
1. Fournette
2. Cook
3. Mcaffery
4. Chubb ( injury concern)
5. Gallman

Certainly Fournette
Not sure about the others, but certainly a couple are possible
I also think the OU will ultimately be better, but don't think he's eligible yet.

 

[Vinnie2u]

Certainly Fournette
Not sure about the others, but certainly a couple are possible
I also think the OU will ultimately be better, but don't think he's eligible yet.

True. I was just making the case that RBs are a dime a dozen right now. A special back is rarer than a franchise QB. Behind our line we don't need to burn a #4 specially when we got 2 good veterans on our team. We need a guy to replace Dunbar. Paul Perkins in the 4th will do that.