Two Dallas Cowboys Rookies Reach Top 3 In NFL Rankings
By Erik Lambert
The Dallas Cowboys are one of the hottest teams in football and a big reason for that has been the play of their 2016 draft class.
None more so than running back Ezekiel Elliott. The team took him with the 4th overall pick having a clear agenda in mind. They knew they had one of the best offensive lines in the NFL. They also knew that their team had its greatest success when it could run the football effectively. All they needed was somebody who could be that feature back that they had with Demarco Murray before he left in free agency. Elliott was the best available in the class by a pretty wide margin.
So for Dallas the pick was easy. In just seven games he already had 799 yards rushing and 150 receiving. He’s scored five touchdowns on top of it. He’s averaging 5.0 yards per carry. Granted, the offensive line is doing a ton of the work for him but his job was to take advantage of that. He most definitely has. Currently he’s on pace for 1,826 yards rushing. That’s unheard of for a rookie.
Daniel Jeremiah, a former scout who now works at NFL Network, delivered his midseason top 25 rookies list. There were plenty of big names on the board, but Elliott was the one who emerged as best of the bunch.
"“Elliott has been the clear-cut top rookie during the first half of the season. He runs with patience, vision and power. He’s also been excellent in the passing game, both receiving and blocking.”"
This would be considered good enough. Yet the Cowboys outdid themselves. Elliott ranked #1 on the list, but he had a teammates right behind him at #3. Most expected him to do well given his draft position. Absolutely nobody in the league though 4th round QB Dak Prescott would be having the season he’s had while filling in for the injured Tony Romo.
It’s been so good in fact that many are wondering if he should just keep the starting job permanently. So far he’s thrown for 1,773 yards, nine touchdowns and just two interceptions. He’s also rushed for 105 yards and scored four rushing touchdowns too. Of course like Elliott he’s benefited from playing behind that offensive line, but his efficiency is astounding for a rookie.
Jeremiah agrees.
"“Prescott continues to play at a very high level. He protects the ball, plays with poise and has stepped up in crunch time. His ability to escape and extend plays is phenomenal, but I’ve been more impressed with his accuracy from the pocket.”"
The Dallas Cowboys are 6-1, in full command of the NFC East and becoming a favorite to reach the Super Bowl. Whether this stud rookie tandem can keep up their inspired play in the postseason is the biggest question. History says they’re in for a tough challenge.