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Perfect Draft Solution to Cowboys' RB Problem Goes Off in Season Opener

The Dallas Cowboys must keep tabs on one star college running back after his prolific start to the 2024 college football season.

By Isaiah De Los Santos

Nov 24, 2023; Boise, Idaho, USA; Boise State Broncos running back Ashton Jeanty (2) carries the ball during the second half against the Air Force Falcons at Albertsons Stadium. Boise State defeats Air Force 27-19. Mandatory Credit: Brian Losness-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 24, 2023; Boise, Idaho, USA; Boise State Broncos running back Ashton Jeanty (2) carries the ball during the second half against the Air Force Falcons at Albertsons Stadium. Boise State defeats Air Force 27-19. Mandatory Credit: Brian Losness-USA TODAY Sports / Brian Losness-USA TODAY Sports
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Week 1 of the 2024 NFL season is finally here for the Dallas Cowboys, who are busy preparing for an opening matchup against the Cleveland Browns. Surely part of Dallas' prep is figuring out its running back rotation, which features a ton of uncertainty with no clear leading talent to kick things off.

Assuming the Cowboys' risky RB experiment fails this season, they'll need to actually invest at the position in 2025. Thankfully for Jerry Jones, there's already one perfect solution in the college ranks -- and he started his year with an incredible performance.

Boise State standout Ashton Jeanty tore up the field in Week 1 of the college football season, going off for 267 yards and a whopping six touchdowns on 20 carries versus Georgia State. He literally carried the Broncos to victory, who needed every bit of his school record-setting performance to escape with a 56-45 win over the Eagles

Jeanty is already on everyone's radar as an NFL prospect after he racked up 1,916 yards from scrimmage and 19 total touchdowns in 2023 at Boise State. That showing led to him being ranked No. 13 overall on ProFootballFocus' 2025 draft board entering the first game of the year.

While it was no surprise to see Jeanty put together another huge day in the season-opener, it's a great sign for his 2024 campaign nonetheless. He's clearly here to make his case as not only the best RB in this class, but as a possible top-10 pick in next year's draft.

That should make Dallas keep an incredibly close eye on the Bronco star throughout this college football season. Jeanty has the potential to serve as the RB1 on any team, let alone one like the Cowboys, who are relying on aging vets like Dalvin Cook and Ezekiel Elliott, plus unproven backs like Rico Dowdle and Deuce Vaughn, to take the pressure of the passing attack.

Should that group fail to produce at a high level -- and there's no reason to assume otherwise -- Dallas can't afford to put off a big addition in the backfield next offseason. That makes Jeanty an obvious early draft target, even if it'll require a premium pick to nab him.

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