Cowboys: Time for RB Darius Jackson to Prove Himself

The Cowboys lesser-acclaimed rookie RB, Darius Jackson, can’t waste time establishing himself on the team.

The 2016 version of the Dallas Cowboys take the field tonight in their first preseason game of the year. For fringe players like running back Darius Jackson, the time to prove his worth is now.

Despite having a rather large cult following, rookie RB Darius Jackson faces an uphill battle making the final 53-man roster this year. Players like Ezekiel Elliot, Alfred Morris, Darren McFadden, and Lance Dunbar all appear to be comfortably situated above him on the depth chart. Since it’s nearly impossible for the Cowboys to keep those four runners AND Jackson, young Darius will need to supplant at least one of them.

Darius Jackson, 6’1” 220lbs, is, what scientists call, an athletic freak. Both powerful and agile, Jackson can beat opponents a number of different ways. He can power through a hole lowering his shoulders to collect the tough yards, or he can simply outmaneuver and burn opponents with his long speed (4.35 second 40 time).

His Eastern Michigan game film shows a diverse collection of running styles. At times he looks like a patient runner that can thrive in a zone blocking scheme (ZBS) like the Dallas Cowboys like to run. At other times he looks like a natural hole-hitting RB suited for a man blocking scheme.

With his game film, it’s been difficult to tell which is his more natural fit and training camp has done little to clarify the issue. That’s why these first few games in the preseason are so important to a player like Darius Jackson.

For someone stuck on the outside looking in, game action is the best way to distinguish himself from his older and more expensive peers. If he can prove he’s a younger, stronger, and faster version of Darren McFadden, the Cowboys won’t hesitate in making the switch.

Advanced analytics are certainly on Darius Jackson’s side. His pSPARQ score, which measures speed, power, agility, reaction, and quickness relative to other RBs, was 149.4. That made him the third highest rated RB in the entire 2016 NFL Draft.

That doesn’t mean he can play football but it does mean he has more God-given talent than nearly everyone else. The Cowboys have been known to sign athletes because of the potential they bring. Darius Jackson is the perfect example of that.

But as I mentioned before, making the team is far from a done deal. Darius Jackson needs to prove he can run patiently behind this offensive line. Because if Jackson can prove he’s better running behind a ZBS than Darren McFadden, (shouldn’t be hard) then he has a shot.