"This may be the next coming of Barry Sanders" - Cowboys icon urges Jerry Jones to draft Ashton Jeanty with No. 12 overall pick

The Dallas Cowboys were expected to be a bit more active in free agency, but their moves on the offensive side of the ball didn't quite move the needle. They agreed a deal to bring in former Denver Broncos running back Javonte Williams to shore up their backfield, but franchise legend Michael Irvin thinks they shouldn't stop there.

Dallas has the No. 12 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, and with the draft barely a month away, Irvin appears to be nudging his beloved Cowboys in the direction of a player many deem to be a true gamechanger - Boise State's Ashton Jeanty.

Jeanty has been widely lauded as the top running back in this year's class, but drafting him at #12 could be seen as an overdraft, even after running backs took the league over last season.

"I'm trying to tell you the numbers are telling me, at 12, we take this running back (Ashton) Jeanty, and we right back with the triplets. And we right back where we need to be. And we need to give him 22 so it'll be 22, 88 (CeeDee Lamb) back on the field again. Double trouble," Irvin said on FS1's Speak.

"Get this guy because it brings hope again. ... This may be the next coming of Barry Sanders, and you'll have him at Dallas. That's how bad this dude is."

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Two options the Cowboys should consider if Ashton Jeanty is off the board

NCAA Football: Fiesta Bowl-Penn State at Boise State - Source: Imagn

While the league has undervalued running backs over the last few years, 2024 was an outlier in terms of the impact RBs had on winning teams.

Derrick Henry and Saquon Barkley were allowed to walk in free agency last year. and both ended up showing their former teams that they made the wrong decision.

Considering that, Jeanty's stock should see a spike in April. In his latest mock draft, Sportskeeda insider Tony Pauline has the Chicago Bears taking Jeanty at #10 overall.

That would give the Cowboys an opportunity to strengthen their offensive line by taking Missouri's Armand Membou, a versatile OL with gifted physical traits. Another option could be LSU's Will Campbell, a highly rated tackle and a player who could be the best available option at #12.