The Dallas Cowboys failed to make the playoffs for a second straight year. They finished the 2025 season going 7-9-1 and in second place in the NFC East. However, the Cowboys' offense was among the best in the NFL, with running back Javonte Williams putting up impressive numbers.
In his first year in Dallas, Williams rushed the ball 252 times for 1,201 yards and 11 touchdowns. He also hauled in 35 receptions for 137 yards and two touchdowns. With his one-year deal expiring after the season, he was rewarded with a three-year, $24 million extension. That's tied for the 14th-largest contract for any running back in the NFL.
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While Williams is expected to anchor the position once again next season, The Athletic's Vic Tafur predicts the Cowboys will trade up with the Arizona Cardinals in the 2026 NFL Draft and select Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love with the No. 3 pick.
Love finished the 2025 season as the second-highest rated running back, according to Pro Football Focus. His 1,372 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns led to a third-place finish in Heisman Trophy voting and becoming a unanimous All-American. He was also a solid receiving threat with 27 receptions, 280 yards and three touchdowns.
If the Cowboys were set on landing Love, then a trade up from the No. 12 spot is necessary. While only two running backs have been selected with a top-10 pick since 2020, ESPN ranks the Notre Dame product as the best player available in the upcoming draft.
It would be a big commitment, but pairing Williams and Love could give the Cowboys one of the top duos in the NFL. The first round of the draft is set to begin on April 23 at 8 p.m. ET.
