It’s NFL Draft week, and the Dallas Cowboys are one of the most intriguing teams to keep an eye on. Holding the 12th overall pick in the first round, the Cowboys are in dire need of offensive reinforcements. Beyond quarterback Dak Prescott and top receiver CeeDee Lamb, Dallas lacks reliable players to gain consistent yardage.

After opting out of drafting a running back in 2024 and losing starter Rico Dowdle in free agency, it’s easy to imagine the Cowboys selecting Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty, widely regarded as the top rusher in this year’s draft class. However, will the Cowboys have the patience to wait until their selection is due to attempt to nab Jeanty?

One NFL analyst thinks not. On Monday, Athlon’s Luke Easterling forecasted that the Cowboys would trade up to the ninth pick with the New Orleans Saints to clinch Jeanty, who was the runner-up for the 2024 Heisman Trophy. “If Jeanty remains available at this stage, it wouldn’t be shocking for a team like Dallas to make a slight move up the board to snatch him,” Easterling observed.

“By sending a third-round pick to the Saints to leapfrog Chicago, the Cowboys could immediately revamp their lackluster run game with a versatile playmaker with superstar potential.” Jeanty, 21, amassed 2,601 rushing yards for the Broncos last season, just 28 yards short of the all-time NCAA single-season record.

He also recorded 29 rushing touchdowns (30 in total) and was the most challenging player to tackle in college football. It’s a risky move to trade a future pick of any sort for Jeanty, but if he evolves into a top-five rusher in the league, the Cowboys would not regret the decision one bit.