The Chinese calendar says 2024 was the Year of the Dragon. For the Americans. it was the year of the running back. A fading in terms of usage, potency and prominence that was resuscitated back into vogue some special individuals. In the pros, Saquon Barkley and Derrick Henry carried the torch for this tailback renaissance. A rung down, on the collegiate level, it was Ashton Jeanty. The battering ram that he is didn’t just take a humble Boise State program to the playoffs, but even came close to winning the Heisman AND breaching Barry Sanders’ all-time rushing record. Jeanty transcended to the more casual football fan. However, there’s one somewhat sleeper RB that flew under the mainstream’s radar. One that America’s Team could do with in their backfield.
The Dallas Cowboys, unfortunately for them, didn’t benefit from this welcome upturn of running backs. At least for the first chunk of the season. Rico Dowdle did relatively well in comparison to expectations of him. However, the team was ranked bottom of all major rushing categories in the NFL for a fat minute. It didn’t become an issue out of the blue either. RB was cited as a position of need for the Cowboys this time last year too. Owner/GM Jerry Jones, though, refrained from drafting one. Well, he’s at that very juncture again now. They need a tailback, and reportedly had some interest in Texas-native Aston Jeanty to not just plug the need but accentuate that offense. But their 12th overall pick in round 1 wasn’t enough ammo for a player that went 6th to the Raiders. But this is as stacked an RB class as any, and there’s quality still on the board.
For a running back to make their way into the Heisman conversation within the current dynamics of football, where the game is more expansive and pass-friendly and inverse to the position, is commendable. But Jeanty wasn’t the only one in the fray. Now conceded, there was a gulf between him and his closest contemporary Cam Skattebo. But the ASU star indeed finished in the top 5 himself, which epitomizes how great a year he had. How great a player he is. If you’ve watched a Sun Devils game, you know Skattebo is that guy. But him marrying the eye-test with unfathomable levels of output is what makes him a strong contender for Jerry Jones’ Cowboys.
Cam Skattebo had 2,316 total yards of offense last year, including 605 receiving yards. This is someone who’s a threat in the passing game out of the backfield. Which is the archetype of RB front offices and coaches yearn for. He can complement WR1 CeeDee Lamb and add a dimension to QB Dak Prescott’s options that didn’t exist before. Skattebo is a legit 3-down back. That said, 1,711 yards on the ground is plenty reason to consider drafting Skattebo on it’s own merit. Add to this 21 trips to the endzone and you’ve got a real needle-mover. Even ESPN’s Bucky Brooks has explicitly stated how he sees him fit well in and better new HC Brian Schottenheimer’s offense. Who’s modus operandi over the years as a coordinator has been running the football.
Instinctively, you may comp Cam Skattebo to a more subdued and much less athletic Christian McCaffrey. The lack of melanin in their skin sure aids that comparison! But quite honestly, it’s not the worst shout in the world. McCaffrey was better coming out of college and has to be one of the best, if not the best, tailbacks in the sport when fit. But Cam Skattebo can flirt with those levels. The athleticism and burst, which most analysts believe is Skattebo’s biggest “yeah, but,” isn’t that big an issue either. His vert of 39.5 inches was the 5th best of all players at the Combine. Amongst his position group of RBs, it was 2nd. His broad jump of 10 feet and 3 inches ranked 6th among RBs. The Cowboys really could do much worse than go for him. His tangibles, and especially his intangibles, make him an intriguing sideplot on Day 2 of the draft.
All of his traits were on full display in Skattebo’s last-ever College Football game. He bid adieu with a halo around him when he walked off the field after what was his magnum opus as a performance. For the uninitiated, here’s a rundown of that performance. A microcosm of what Jerry Jones will be getting if indeed he drafts Skattebo.
What Jerry Jones and Brian Schottenheimer’s Cowboys and getting in Cam Skattebo
Conventional wisdom suggests it’s best to let bygones be bygones. But when the past is as awesome as Cam Skattebo’s, exceptions ought to be made. Cast your minds back to the Peach Bowl between ASU and Texas. Arguably Skattebo’s best game, and inarguably his most grueling. Probably even the best game last season from a neutral’s POV. The discourse around an imbalanced playoff field dissipated in real time down in Atlanta that night. The consensus dictated that the mighty Texas Longhorns would make it a procession. Another blowout on theme with the playoffs until that point. A double OT classic later, this notion was thwarted. Cam Skattebo’ unlocking an extra was the reason why.
Skattebo, quite literally, did everything. He rushed, he caught and he even threw a touchdown pass off play action. Alas, his superhuman efforts fell just short. Naturally, even his emotions spilled over amidst all the rest he brought to the table. Cam Skattebo burst into tears right there in midfield. He was evidently sick during the game and was seen vomiting on the sidelines. Still, he refused to come out. Asking for liquids to replenish, as well as the pigskin at every opportunity and every down. The cruelty of sport is such that he, and by extension the Sun Devils, didn’t get their fairytale ending. But his great season wasn’t in vain. ASU did win the Big 12 Championship, after all.
You aren’t just getting a football player with Cam Skattebo. You’re getting a fierce competitor and culture setter who leaves everything on the gridiron when he takes to it. The Cowboys, who are void of an identity right now, could do with someone like this. Jerry Jones has some more than decent alternatives to draft instead. As aforementioned, this RB class really does run deeper than ever unlike the QB class. Both qualitatively and quantitatively. But something tells you Skattebo’s gonna be a hit wherever he ends up. For him to be rocking that white star on his helmet will be fascinating.
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