Getty Cowboys potential draft target Trey Benson
The Cowboys will use their first-round pick, depending on what NFL mock draft you live by, on an offensive lineman. Sure, there are some outliers who have Dallas gambling on a high-profile wide receiver or edge rusher with Pick No. 24, but the quality of offensive linemen in this draft and the Cowboys’ need for help on the line has most pointing to the likes of Amarius Mims, Jordan Morgan, Tyler Guyton or Troy Fautanu.
Assuming that’s where the Cowboys go in Round 1, the expectation is that they’ll turn to filling the glaring hole at running back with a draftee in Round 2. There are no top running backs who have a chance to land in the first round, but there should be two or three taken in Round 2, with the Cowboys at No. 56 most likely having their pick of the litter—Michigan’s Blake Corum, Texas’ Jonathan Brooks and Florida State’s Trey Benson.
It’s Benson, who was on a two-day visit to Dallas this week as one of the 30 predraft players the team is allowed to host, who is getting some attention. As NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported on Wednesday, “Add #FSU RB Trey Benson to the list of big-time prospects visiting the #Cowboys today and tomorrow.”
Trey Benson a Player to ‘Prioritize’ in the NFL Draft
At Bleacher Report, analyst Alex Ballentine has Benson as the top skill-position player the Cowboys need to prioritize” in the upcoming draft. After losing starting running back Tony Pollard in free agency and not replacing him at all with another signing—Rico Dowdle is currently the top back on the Cowboys depth chart—the Cowboys are sure to add one in the draft.
The assumption is they’ll use their second-rounder on one. And Benson might be the best of the lot, after running for 1,896 yards in 26 games over the past two seasons at Florida State.
“They don’t really have the all-terrain vehicle to be the lead back in their committee,” Ballentine wrote. “Even if they plan on playing multiple backs, there’s usually still a lead back who will get the majority of the early-down work.
“Trey Benson could fill that role. The 6’0″, 216-pound back has the speed to break off big runs if he gets free. He showed off that speed with a 4.39 40 at the combine, but he’s more than just a speedster. … Benson offers a combination of physicality, pass-catching and big play speed that should offer something that’s closer to 2022 Tony Pollard than the veteran was able to bring to the table in 2023.”
Cowboys Could Skip RB, Even in Round 2
Of course, we’ve seen over the years that the Cowboys have leaned into the notion that they do not need to expend hefty resources on running backs. They had an interest in bringing back Pollard, but even his three-year, $21 million contract from the Titans was too much for them.
Because of that, there’s no real guarantee they will use a second-rounder on a running back, either. They could be the only team picking one at that point—why not wait until Round 3 and instead try to pluck one of the excellent wide receivers in this 2024 class? Or fill the obvious need for depth at linebacker?
Indeed, by the Dallas Morning News’ predraft tracker, the Cowboys have brought in six linebackers for visits, including the Top 3 at the position (Edgerrin Cooper of Texas A&M, Payton Wilson of North Carolina State and Junior Colson of Michigan).
They’ve also brought in six running backs, most of whom won’t go in the second round. So, while the assumption is that’s where the Cowboys will turn in Round 2, with Benson being a top candidate, they could wait even longer to pluck their top running back.
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