
FRISCO, Texas — The Dallas Cowboys addressed their running back room in free agency with a couple of vets on one-year deals in Javonte Williams and Miles Sanders.
With their first pick on Day 3 of the 2025 NFL Draft, Dallas selected a young back who will be around for a while in Texas Longhorns rusher Jaydon Blue. He’s an adept receiver out of the backfield on a variety of routes, and his six receiving touchdowns in 2024 co-led the nation among running backs. Blue is undersized as far as NFL running backs go, standing at 5-foot-9 and weighing 196 pounds at the NFL Scouting Combine. He does possess the potential to take the ball to the house on any touch thanks to his electrifying speed (4.38-second 40-yard dash, second-fastest among running backs at the combine), provided he hangs on to the football. Blue had seven fumbles in three collegiate seasons, including five in 2024. He was coached at Texas by former Cowboys running back Tashard Choice, who was a fourth-round pick of Dallas in 2008.
Given his size and speed combination, Blue likened himself to Detroit Lions two-time Pro Bowl running back Jahmyr Gibbs (5-9, 200 pounds), a player who just led the NFL with 20 touchdowns from scrimmage in 2024.
“I take a lot of pride in being able to run routes and catch the ball,” Blue said Saturday on a conference call. “A lot of my workouts are receiver stuff, and I do that because some of the running back stuff is natural for me. Not a lot of backs can run routes like a receiver or catch the ball as well as I can. I take a lot of pride in being able to do those things. … I think me and Jahmyr Gibbs are very similar. Similar body types, we’re both fast. We have great burst and the ability to make guys miss. We both thrive in the passing game, and I think we do a lot of things similarly, man. That’s one guy that I really think we play just alike.”
Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones certainly loves his Texas connections. After missing out on running backs in the fourth round of the draft for the second year in a row, Jones lands one in the fifth round at pick No. 149.

Jaydon Blue NFL Draft Grade: C+
Not exactly a bell cow type at RB, yet Blue can fly. That’s the theme of his entire game. If there’s a crease, he’ll hit explosive plays. Some semblance of cutting skill. Not overly elusive nor someone who’ll bounce off many tacklers. — Chris Trapasso
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