Jaydon Blue’s role in the offense is going to be fascinating to figure out.
It was a bit of a surprise when the Cowboys got through the first two days of the 2025 NFL draft without addressing the running back position. They finally addressed the position with Texas’ running back Jaydon Blue in the fifth round.
Blue was a dynamic threat in the backfield for the Longhorns in 2024, but played primarily in a rotation with freshman running back Jerrick Gibson. Blue was also one of the most explosive backs in the 2025 class, but his size, physicality, and fumbling concerns had him fall into day three despite his tremendous upside.
Let’s take a look at what Blue did in 2024 and project out what he could do in 2025 in Dallas.
2024 Stats:
Games Played: 15
Carries: 134
Rushing Yards: 730
Yards Per Carry: 5.4
Rushing Touchdowns: 8
Receptions: 42
Receiving Yards: 368
Receiving Touchdowns: 6
As proven in his stats from 2024, Blue’s ability to impact the running and passing game was evident on tape. His speed, elusiveness, and crisp route running should have him involved early in the Cowboys offense. Whether that is a starting role or not is still to be seen, but now let’s project out what his rookie season could look like in Dallas.
2025 Projection:
Carries: 95
Rushing Yards: 525
Yards Per Carry: 5.5
Rushing Touchdowns: 4
Receptions: 18
Receiving Yards: 152
Receiving Touchdowns: 2
There is a really strong chance the Cowboys 2025 rushing plan goes similar to the 2024 rushing plan. As it stands today, it sounds like JaVonte Williams will get the first crack at starting reps heading into camp, similar to Ezekiel Elliott in 2024. With Williams projected to start the season off getting the bulk of the carries, expect Blue’s start of the season to be a bit underwhelming. But similar to 2024, do not be surprised if by week six or seven, we start seeing a bit more of Jaydon Blue and his breakout really begins.
