The NFL draft over the years has developed into a chess game of sorts, a selection process that uses schemes and tactics to try to get the best players available at the lowest pick possible. Teams will try to send subliminal messages through the media to other teams showing they’re interested in a player that they may not be just so other teams trade up as well as teams also trying to gauge where the players on their board will fall to in order to draft them perhaps at a pick in a round after they projected.
In regard to how teams draft running backs in recent years, we’ve seen them transition as some of the highest picks behind quarterbacks to now mid to late first-rounders because of simply how many good ones there are and how short of a stent they now have in the NFL in terms of career length.
Though the trend has been steady, Ohio State running back Ezikiel Elliott is projected to go high in the first round after being one of the best if not the best running back in the nation for the span of two years.
The Cowboys find themselves with rights to pick number 4 in this year’s draft after a disappointing season, which for the most part was due to a lack of an explosive running game after DeMarco Murray joined the Eagles before last season. Many analysts have projected the Cowboys taking a running back with one of their two top picks, maybe even their 4th.
News broke Tuesday morning that Dallas had signed now former Redskins running back Alfred Morris, which likely takes the 4th round pick for Elliot off the table, but they could trade down and still try to swipe him up later on the first or second day.
If indicators needed any more fuel to their fire, Elliot did follow the Cowboys, and only the Cowboys, on Twitter Monday.
Ezekiel Elliott’s recent followings include… pic.twitter.com/BzXmpiHSOg
— ✭ DCBlueStar ✭ (@DCBlueStar) March 22, 2016
Nothing to be made a big deal of, but very interesting…and even a bit confusing after the team signed Alfred Morris early Tuesday morning. Elliot has been retweeting tweets involving highlights of the Cowboys offensive line as well.
Though this draft is relatively weak, Dallas could trade down and possibly still get Elliot, which definitly be the more sensical route.
The NFL draft kicks of on April 28th.
