Jaydon Blue has a lot of believers.
Could rookie Jaydon Blue be the Cowboys’ best running back since the prime of Ezekiel Elliott? One longtime NFL scout thinks so, and that would make the fifth-round pick an absolute steal from this 2025 draft class and a huge addition to the offense.
As part of a G-Bag Nation show on 105.3 The Fan, the crew was discussing winners and losers on the Cowboys roster from the most recent NFL draft. While on the topic of whether or not QB Dak Prescott “won” with this rookie class, Blue was listed among the positives to help improve the offense and relieve pressure on QB1. Host Gavin Dawson described Blue as “a Tony Pollard-esque elusive back with receiving skills,” which prompted an emphatic response from Bryan Broaddus:
That’s no small statement from Broaddus, a former NFL scout who’s now spent many years as a Cowboys analyst and media personality. Pollard, who played here from 2019-2023, was easily Dallas’ best running back behind Ezekiel Elliott over the last ten seasons. He went to the 2022 Pro Bowl, emerging as the superior playmaker when Zeke was declining. Pollard parlayed that into a franchise tag in 2023, playing one more year with the Cowboys before joining Tennessee in last year’s free agency. He remained productive with the Titans; 1,317 total yards on 301 combined touches, and five touchdowns in 2024.
Even a superficial comparison of Blue and Pollard backs up Broaddus’ projection. Blue posted faster times at the NFL combine (4.38 40-yard, 1.52 10-yard) than Pollard did (4.52 and 1.59) in 2019. That discrepancy was consistent with their pro day times, speaking to Blue having more top-end speed and explosiveness. Draft analyst Lance Zierlein rated Blue higher than he had Pollard six years ago, projecting Blue as a third-round talent while saying Pollard would go in the sixth or seventh.
So given that, why did Blue fall to the fifth round this year? Remember the much-ballyhooed depth of this 2025 RB class, where it was expected for legitimate starters to be found on Day 3. Pollard’s class had some solid NFL additions like Josh Jacobs and David Montgomery, but wasn’t projected with nearly the same overall potential. Also, Blue developed a bad reputation for ball security issues that will certainly limit him without immediate improvement.
One advantage Pollard had over Blue is better size. For a “speed back,” Pollard was surprisingly good at breaking tackles and keeping his balance through contact. It allowed him to become a true primary back, something Blue will have to prove he can handle over the coming years.
Of course, projections are only proven right or wrong after years of evidence. Tony Pollard proved Lance Zierlein wrong by becoming a starting-caliber back. Hopefully, Jaydon Blue is going to prove Bryan Broaddus right about being even better than Pollard. This Cowboys offense is desperate for a spark, and maybe Blue is going to go a long way to providing one.
