The Dallas Cowboys are in the second week of training camp, and they have dealt with several injuries to multiple players on the field.
At the same time, the Cowboys have watched two rookie RBs make plays. Jaydon Blue reeled in a sick one-handed catch during July 26th's practice, while Phil Mafah's play got him a callout from head coach Brian Schottenheimer.
These rookies are taking advantage of their opportunities, and Schottenheimer has already compared Blue to former Philadelphia Eagles RB Darren Sproles.
When speaking to the media on Thursday, Schottenheimer said, "The quickness and ability to accelerate into the hole, it's just different. He's got incredible lateral agility and quickness. ... He reminds me of a larger version of Darren Sproles. I don't use that lightly."
Cowboys Jaydon Blue Gets Compared to Former Eagles RB Darren Sproles
HC Schottenheimer on Jaydon Blue:
— Underdog NFL (@UnderdogNFL) July 31, 2025
"The quickness and ability to accelerate into the hole, it's just different. He's got incredible lateral agility and quickness. ... He reminds me of a larger version of Darren Sproles. I don't use that lightly."
While Cowboy fans weren't thrilled to see Sporles line up on the other side from 2014-2019 with the Philadelphia Eagles, he gave them a shifty and elusive playmaker out of the backfield. In 61 games for the Eagles, Sproles had 1,331 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns. Meanwhile, as a pass-catcher, he had another 175 catches for 1,459 receiving yards and another five receiving scores.
He also gave them an electric punt returner, notching Pro Bowls during the 2014 and 2015 seasons after logging at least 446 punt return yards and two touchdowns in those campaigns.
While Sproles was never the lead back in Philly's offense, he always had a prominent role that allowed him to change the pace back there. The fact that Blue is being compared to him by his head coach is fantastic for both the rookie and Dallas.
Last season at the University of Texas, Blue was a weapon for the Longhorns, recording 730 rushing yards, 368 receiving yards, and 14 total scores.
In The Athletic's Dane Brugler's scouting guide, he wrote, "Blue moves with electricity in his feet to make defenders miss in a phone booth and is at his best as a pass catcher on screens, angles and wheels (No. 1 among FBS running backs with six receiving touchdowns)."
This breakdown aligns with the comments that Schottenheimer made. Blue's at his best when he changes the pace, and his natural traits pop out on the field.
The Cowboys RB rotation is far from locked down, and Blue's play will quickly make him climb the depth chart for the 2025 season.