Dallas Cowboys Draft stock: replacing DeMarco Murray and more

By Jake Robison | April 17, 2015

What do you get the NFL team that has everything? The Dallas Cowboys nearly fit the description, as they have their franchise quarterback in place, a dominant wide receiver, and defense that has bounced back from the depths and transformed into a strong unit. But thanks to the loss of star running back DeMarco Murray, the Cowboys enter the 2015 NFL Draft with at least one prominent hole to fill, and one which isn’t easily addressed through the draft. So where does that leave Dallas draft plans?

The key is whether the Dallas Cowboys decide to be bold and take a running back in the first round of the draft. At least one of Todd Gurley and Melvin Gordon should still be available by the time the Cowboys make their first pick, which will leave the always flashy Jerry Jones at least tempted to pull the trigger and instantly fill his team’s biggest hole. However, the running back position isn’t what it used to be, and many teams believe the job can be adequately filled by an assembly of journeymen. But will Jerry really pull the trigger?

The answer may lie in last year’s draft. Jones wanted to draft Johnny Manziel in the first round even though he was an iffy pick and the Dallas Cowboys didn’t need him anyway, but he was ultimately talked into taking safer pick Zack Martin instead, and he helped fuel the team’s playoff run. So that alone may prompt Jerry to allow his football people to make a safer first round pick, while targeting a running back like Duke Johnson in the second or third round instead.