If the Dallas Cowboys Are Smart, They’ll Start Ezekiel Elliott

Darren McFadden and Alfred Morris who? Ezekiel Elliott is a generational talent, and his time is now.

You done good, Jerry, you done good.

Now all you have to do is start the man.

That man, off course, is the ‘hero in a half-shirt’ himself, Ezekiel Elliott.

The former Ohio State standout became the newest member of the Dallas Cowboys on April 28 when the team made him the No. 4 pick in the NFL Draft. Arguably the most talented player among all prospects, Elliott was the best selection the Cowboys could’ve made in spite of the league-wide stigma towards running backs.

Well, that stigma is no more: Elliott has shattered it, and deservedly so.

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This is no ordinary player. This is a generational talent, one that could become the top back in the league in the coming years.

Elliott’s tremendous skillset has been well-documented in recent months as everyone caught draft fever. He jumps out of the gym, can run inside and outside, catch the ball out of the backfield, and is even a great blocker.

There’s seemingly no weaknesses in Elliott’s game, making it easy to see why Jerry Jones and Co. took him so early.

So, now all that’s left for Dallas to do is ensure that he’s the starter when the regular season begins.

It’s that simple.

No games, no cryptic statements regarding him still being a rookie and having a long way to go, none of that.

Elliott is a pro-ready back and his time is now.

Here’s what Hall of Fame tailback and Cowboys legend Emmitt Smith had to say about him:

"“Well, he [Elliott] is better in the context of his speed, he’s faster,” Smith said, via 105.3 The Fan’s G-Bag Nation show on May 3. “In the context of his ability to block, he can block. I just think that he’s a smart football player. At the end of the day, I’d like to think that he is better than me because obviously some of those things that we just talked about actually give him the ability to make a house call when he needs to.”"

‘Zeke’ will do everything that is asked of him, and more, to prove to the coaching staff and his teammates that he belongs atop the depth chart. As of right now, veterans Darren McFadden and Alfred Morris stand in the young buck’s way, and neither are capable of impacting the Cowboys offense close to the same way Elliott can.

And after all, isn’t this what Jones wanted? To pair a running back of Elliott’s caliber with the best offensive line in the game? To form the modern version of the ‘Triplets’?

Choosing to start the draft’s fourth overall pick above a couple of vets isn’t rocket science and the Cowboys shouldn’t make this process more difficult than it needs to be.

Let McFadden, Morris, and Elliott predictably compete throughout training camp.

Just make sure No. 21 is lining up in the backfield come the team’s Sept. 11 season opener.