Mel Kiper Jr. has Cowboys taking Tony Pollard replacement in latest mock draft

Texas Longhorns running back Jonathon Brooks.

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has come under fire lately from a growing contingency of his fan base that has expressed its discontent with the team’s inactivity during free agency.

Signing just one free agent that wasn’t on the Cowboys roster last season (linebacker Eric Kendricks), it appears Jones is content on filling his team’s needs through the draft.

In his latest mock draft, ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. has the Cowboys drafting Oklahoma offensive tackle Tyler Guyton 24th overall as Tyron Smith’s replacement, and he has the team grabbing Texas running back Jonathon Brooks 56th overall to fill the void left by Tony Pollard, who signed with the Tennessee Titans in free agency.

“This has been a popular pairing based on Dallas’ offseason plan at running back,” Kiper Jr. said of Brooks to the Cowboys. “It doesn’t have a lead back on its roster. Brooks, who rushed for 1,139 yards and 10 touchdowns before tearing an ACL in November, has the tools to be an impact player as a rookie. He showed some upside as a pass-catcher, too. He’s my top-ranked back.”

Pollard’s departure created a big hole in Dallas’ offense. He rushed for 1,005 yards and six touchdowns in 2023, and he added 55 receptions on 67 targets for 311 yards out of the backfield.

Brooks, who’s 6-foot and 207 pounds, has a nearly identical build to Pollard, who’s 6-foot and 209 pounds, and he plays a similar style of game.

He rushed for 1,139 yards and 10 touchdowns while averaging 6.1 yards per carry for Texas last season after taking over the starter after Bijan Robinson left for the NFL. Brooks also saw work as a receiver, totaling 25 receptions, 286 yards and a touchdown.

The Cowboys passed on the top available backs on the free-agent market including Pollard, Saquon Barkley, Josh Jacobs, D’Andre Swift, Derrick Henry and Austin Ekeler.

One would assume given their current depth chart, which includes Snoop Conner, Malik Davis, Rico Dowdle, Hunter Luepke and Deuce Vaughn, the Cowboys will draft a RB to compete for the starting job.

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