Back in 2024, the Cowboys‘ ground game was, well, grounded. They managed just 1,705 rushing yards—their third-lowest total since 2000—and tied their second-worst record with only 6 rushing touchdowns. Even with Ezekiel Elliott’s return, the backfield lacked a true spark. Rico Dowdle showed some promise, but the overall rushing attack left much to be desired. This lackluster performance highlighted a glaring need: a dynamic, game-changing RB to rejuvenate the offense and provide consistent support for Dak Prescott.

Fast forward to now, and if you ask any person in Dallas about what the Cowboys are going to do in the first round of the draft? The odds are that they’d probably say that Jerry Jones is going to draft an RB. Plain and simple. The reason? Well, Tony Pollard is not in Dallas, and Elliott has already packed his bags for LA.

And let’s be real—the Cowboys simultaneously signed Javonte Williams and Miles Sanders on a one-year deal, but that true RB1 vibe? It’s still lacking. Now, it’s up to them if they draft an RB1 on Thursday. The rumor mill is buzzing, and the Dallas Nation is hoping that Jerry Jones is going to use their No. 12 overall pick to draft Ashton Jeanty. The catch? Well, it’s not going to be a walk in the park.

The reason’s pretty simple: by the time Dallas would get an opportunity to draft Jeanty, some other team would already have snagged him first. For instance, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler believes that the Raiders are the top contender to draft Jeanty at No. 6. “I’m hearing that Jeanty is in play for the Raiders among a few options,” Fowler said. “They’re also looking at offensive tackle potentially, but there’s some momentum around the Raiders and Jeanty. I’m told Jeanty would love to play for the Raiders. They’re atop his Wishlist.”

Well, if reports are to be believed, Jeanty is one of the top draft prospects in this year’s class. That means there’s a huge possibility that the Boise State star would be drafted somewhere between pick 5 and pick 12. And that’s where things get pretty interesting. See, as per Jeremy Fowler, the Jacksonville Jaguars could surprise everyone by using their No. 5th pick to draft Jeanty. Yeah, you read that right.

“I haven’t talked to one team that thinks he would slip out of that range,” he continued. “In fact. Jacksonville Jaguars at number five could be a sleeper option for Jeanty as well.” To top that off, as per the latest mock draft by draft analyst Eric Edholm, Liam Coen is no longer interested in drafting defensive tackle Mason Graham. Coen and Co. would likely want to make a splash by picking Ashton Jeanty at 5.

So yeah, if Jerry Jones has his heart set on drafting Jeanty, he better buckle up. Because it’s not gonna be easy with other teams lurking. And the juiciest bit? Jeanty just dropped a draft-day bomb… and the timing couldn’t have been worse.

Ashton Jeanty’s message could change Jerry Jones’ draft plans

Let’s take a trip down memory lane to Ashton Jeanty’s high school career. The guy attended Lone Star High School in Frisco, Texas, where he rushed for 1,843 yards with 41 total touchdowns as a senior. Fast forward to now and after spending his collegiate career at Boise State, the guy wants to play in front of his high-school home crowd—for the Cowboys.

“It would be dope, man. Most guys, they would love to play for their hometown team, just because of growing up there. But any opportunity for any team in the NFL is going to be great,” he said to the Pro Football Network. To make it more obvious, the young RB revealed his meeting with Jerry Jones, where he talked about winning the Super Bowl with the Cowboys’ owner. Now, let’s be real—the way things are shaping up; it surely seems like the Cowboys’ are smoothly going to draft him, right?

Well, that’s where it gets pretty messy. Recently, Jeanty penned a letter to NFL general managers of all the teams. The guy simple laid out why he should be drafted on Thursday. “I’ve taken the long way. I’m done with that way. If you pick me, it’s simple: I’m coming to your franchise to do what Saquon [Barkley] and the Eagles just did. I’m coming to win, big, soon … It’s TACKLE football … you know what I’m saying? I’d draft the guy they can’t tackle,” Jeanty wrote.

Well, that’s not what the Dallas Nation was expecting just days before the NFL draft. Not because he isn’t a great player. In fact, this kind of confidence is surely going to catch JJ’s attention. I mean, if there’s one thing that Jerry is known for; then it’s his soft spot for flashy RBs. Whether drafting Ezekiel Elliott in the 2016 NFL draft or Tony Pollard a few years later.

Plus, Jeanty is from Frisco, Texas, and he’s already reiterated so many times that he wants to play for Dallas. Now, considering the Raiders and the Jaguars are eying to draft Jeanty, the Dallas Nation fears that Jerry Jones could move up to draft Jeanty. So yeah, don’t be surprised if the Cowboys’ owner makes a move on Thursday. After all, it’s not going to be for the first time that he’d follow his heart instead of the draft board.