How Rico Dowdle’s rise could actually screw the Cowboys in the 2025 NFL Draft

Dallas Cowboys’ running back Rico Dowdle has experienced a remarkable turnaround in the second half of the season. In the first six weeks, Dowdle recorded two total touchdowns, averaged 4.0 yards per carry. carry and did not have a single play that exceeded 20 yards.

However, Dowdle’s performance improved significantly from week 7-14. He maintained the same number of touchdowns, but his YPC increased to 5.3 and he recorded three plays that gained more than 20 yards.

Dowdle had never rushed for more than 100 yards in his career until this season. He has now broken that mark in three games in a row. In last Sunday’s win at Carolina, Dowdle turned in an outstanding performance of 149 rushing yards.

What thrust Dowdle into the spotlight was the Cowboys’ decision to reduce Ezekiel Elliott’s role. Elliott is expected to remain a non-factor for the next three games, almost guaranteeing Dowdle will continue to shine. This impressive mid-season stretch has been beneficial for Dowdle as it demonstrates his ability to the team and the rest of the league for his career going forward.

For the Cowboys, however, it makes things a little tricky.

How Rico Dowdle’s latest rise could affect the Cowboys’ 2025 NFL Draft decisions

Dowdle’s future with the Cowboys may hinge heavily on the 2025 NFL Draft. After not prioritizing the running back position in last year’s draft and lacking opportunities in free agency, the Cowboys found themselves in a challenging situation. With a strong RB class expected this year, Dallas has important considerations to make when it comes to Dowdle.

Remember when Jerry Jones mentioned going all in before the season? That statement didn’t get old, especially considering the Cowboys have had a near-disastrous season. Despite an unprecedented number of injuries, the team still struggled to avoid self-inflicted setbacks

With what Dowdle is doing, Dallas could do just what you would expect and ignore the 2025 running back pool and instead fully invest in Dowdle.

If this were any other year, holding on to Dowdle might not seem like a bad idea, but 2025 is different. The depth of running backs in the draft this year is too significant to overlook.

Currently, the Cowboys are expected to have a pick in the middle of the first round, and there is hope that Heisman runner-up Ashton Jeanty will still be available for them to select. However, as the Cowboys continue to “struggle” this season regardless of the state of the team, they reduce their chances of staying within reach to draft Jeanty. But knowing the Cowboys organization, they might not even consider taking a chance on Jeanty (or anyone else) after seeing Dowdle’s “improvement.” Doing this can have a long-term negative impact.

Jeanty, along with North Carolina’s Omarion Hampton, Tennessee’s Dylan Simpson and Arizona State’s Cam Skattebo, form a strong group of running backs that could be considered one of the best RB classes in the last five drafts. This should be enough for Dallas to recognize Dowdle’s contributions, but they still need to consider the direction of the team. Many franchises wouldn’t overthink this situation, but the Jones family-led Cowboys tend to approach things differently.

Chances are Dowdle could be part of the Jones 2025 plan, forcing them to strike out in the upcoming running back lotteries.