NFL Draft: Dallas Cowboys Pick Baylor RB to Help Ezekiel Elliott?

Baylor's Abram Smith (5-11, 211) could be somewhere on the Dallas radar.

FRISCO - The Dallas Cowboys roster is considered by most to be NFC contender-worthy, and that includes at running back, where Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard are both headliners.

But should 2022 be in part about turning the page in the backfield?

The Cowboys may be entering the final year in Dallas for both Zeke and Pollard. After next season, Elliott's contract is escapable. And after next season, Pollard is a free agent.

Spend big money on a running back again? Doubtful.

Spent a draft pick on a financially affordable running back? Maybe.

Baylor's Abram Smith (5-11, 211) could be somewhere on their radar.

Our guy Dane Brugler sees the Cowboys adding the Baylor Bears workhouse back on Day 3 of the NFL Draft. Smith was the go-to guy for the Big 12-champion Bears

“Smith won’t be an ideal fit for every scheme, but he is tailor-made for outside/split zone run game with his one-cut quickness and feel for lane development,” Brugler writes. “He not only brings value to the backfield but is well-versed on defense and special teams to potentially offer three-way versatility.”

Brugler has Smith as the 10th-best back in this class. And what's that about "defense''? Yup, while Smith became a full-timer runner in his senior year, the season before he was a linebacker who earned four starts late in the season.

We also like to mention the name of Jerome Ford (5-11, 209). In his final season, Ford ran for 1,319 yards and 19 touchdowns (sixth most among FBS running backs) on 215 attempts for Cincinnati.

Brugler at The Athletic has talked of Ford being a "mid-round pick.'' 

This kind of guy isn't a priority. But somewhere in the draft, it makes sense for Dallas as a way to preemptively fix a problem ... without overpaying to do so.