Latest mock draft has Cowboys using the 12th pick overall on an offensive weapon from Notre Dame.
The frustration of Dallas Cowboys fans is palpable with the team’s historical hesitancy to put up a sizeable amount of money to sign and/or retain a talented running back. The Cowboys allowed Tony Pollard to walk away in free agency after the 2023 season, then they declined to make an offer to Derrick Henry.
But they still had a solid rushing attack as Rico Dowdle became a solid number one option at the position. The Cowboys also let Dowdle walk away.
The Cowboys brought in former Broncos running back Javonte Williams and signed him to a one-year, $3 million contract. Williams promptly rushed for 1,201 yards and he also met all the incentives criteria. As a result, Williams earned another $1 million in bonus money and will now test the free agent market.
The Cowboys on Wednesday inside The Star singled out Javonte and vowed to make him a "priority.
But is that a "$3 mil priority'' or a "$7 mil priority''?
Based on the Cowboys history - and despite the owner's Wednesday vows to spend - don’t expect Jerry Jones to open his watch pocket to pay Williams his market value to keep him in Dallas.
With that said, there is a generational talent at running back in the 2026 draft class who could change the Cowboys mindset toward the running back position-Notre Dame’s Jeremiyah Love.
In a story on heavy.com, the latest mock draft, put out by the USA Today, has the Cowboys using their first-round pick (12th overall) on a running back.
The Cowboys’ defense was terrible this season. They ranked 32nd in points allowed and 30th in yards allowed. Based on that, this seems like a move that the Cowboys should not make. Historical precedence says they would not make this move.
According to that USA Today mock draft, “Love is the most dynamic offensive weapon in this draft and cannot fall farther than the Cowboys. He’s the ideal back for the modern NFL with solid size (6-foot, 214 pounds), game-changing speed and proven ability as a receiver out of the backfield. The Cowboys had one of the best offenses in the NFL in 2025 with Javonte Williams at running back. Adding Love in could make them terrifying for opponents.”
For Notre Dame in 2025, Love was a Heisman Trophy finalist and ranked fifth in the FBS in rushing at 110 yards per game. Love Rushed for 1,372 yards and 18 touchdowns. He averaged 6.89 yards per carry. In addition, Love caught 27 passes for 280 yards and three more scores. Love scored at least one rushing touchdown in 11 of his 12 games and posted six games over 100 yards rushing.
Against USC, Love ran for 228 yards and a score in a 34-24 win. In the 56-13 win over Arkansas, Love scored four touchdowns, two rushing and two receiving. Love gained 171 yards on eight carries (21.38 yards per carry average) and scored three TD’s in the 70-7 destruction of Syracuse.
The Cowboys should draft based on need, and they need help at linebacker and Ohio State’s Arvel Reese and Sonny Styles are rated as the top linebackers in this draft. But the Cowboys may not be able to pass up the chance to draft a dynamic weapon at the running back position like Love, who could keep the Cowboys’ offense humming for years to come.