Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty made a big ask of Cowboys owner Jerry Jones ahead of the 2025 NFL Draft. Dallas faces an uncertain offseason as Mike McCarthy is negotiating with the franchise about a potential return. Dak Prescott will enter next season after an abysmal 2024 by his standards. The Cowboys finished the season 8-9 and have the twelfth overall pick in this year’s draft.

The obvious need for this franchise is at running back. Dallas barely eclipsed the century mark in rushing yards per game in 2024, dwelling at the bottom of the league every week. Jeanty is the No. 1 running back prospect in this year’s draft after a historic season with Boise. And it looks like the former Lone Star High School standout has a preference for which pro team he wants to join. Jeanty explained this in an interview with NBC DFW reporter Pat Doney.

“I would love to play for the Cowboys. It’d be like a dream come true. I used to play in their practice stadium for all our home games in high school. Even my freshman year, we practiced there when we came down here for the Frisco Bowl. Yeah, honestly, it would really just feel like I’m at home. I ain’t gonna say too much, but Dallas has always had a good running back. They play a lot better when they got a good running back.”

Ashton Jeanty would be the safest pick for Dallas in the 2025 NFL Draft

Boise State Broncos running back (2) Ashton Jeanty tries to break past Penn State Nittany Lions safety Zakee Wheatley (6) during their Vrbo Fiesta Bowl matchup at State Farm Stadium.
Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Everything Ashton Jeanty said above is correct. The running back position has historically been an area of strength for this historic franchise and carried the Cowboys to multiple Super Bowls. Dak Prescott has also shown how much he can thrive with stability at this position throughout his Dallas career. And Jeanty is the most complete back in this field. He has speed, can cut, can read defenses, can break tackles, can block, and is an excellent pass catcher.

Even in Jeanty’s worst game of the season against Penn State, he showed the value of the position at the college level. Despite having a far superior defensive line to Boise’s offensive line, the Nittany Lions consistently stacked the box against the 2,600-yard back, leaving their cornerbacks vulnerable in single coverage. This season, Derrick Henry and Saquon Barkley were in contention for the all-time rushing crown and have shown how this position is still essential for teams with Super Bowl aspirations.

The only caveat to not selecting the legendary college back is that this is an excellent draft for his position overall. The Cowboys also have other areas of need, such as on the offensive line and at safety. And the organization may not be able to fill any of those positions anywhere except in the first few rounds of the NFL Draft. College standouts at running back, like Cam Skattebo, Dylan Sampson, and Ollie Gordon II, should be available in later rounds.

Ultimately, Jerry Jones and the front office must weigh these decisions. However, should they draft Jeanty in the first round, the Cowboys will immediately turn a significant weakness into a strength as they look to return to the postseason in 2025.