The NFL’s all-time rushing king has seen some impressive ballcarriers come and go since he last wore the star in 2002.
And while the Hall of Famer has never been shy about calling for his former team to get back to establishing a smashmouth run game like the one that got him over 17,000 yards in Dallas, Smith doesn’t believe the Cowboys should be too quick to select Boise State phenom Ashton Jeanty with their first-round pick in the upcoming draft.
It’s a surprising stance from one of the greatest running backs the sport has ever seen. But his reason for saying so is even more of an eye-opener.
In New Orleans ahead of Super Bowl LIX, Smith sat down with the crew from All DLLS. Talk naturally turned to the Cowboys’ current need to find a rushing attack after a season in which they placed at or near the bottom of the league in total rushing yardage, yards per carry, and rushing touchdowns.
The most popular fix in the mock draft world is Jeanty, who logged an incredible 2,601 yards in 2024 (just 27 yards shy of the collegiate single-season record) and scored 29 touchdowns on the ground (almost five times what the entire Cowboys ground attack tallied in three more games).
But when asked if the Cowboys should select Jeanty with the 12th overall pick, Smith was blunt.
“I don’t think so.”
It’s not, Smith went on to explain, because he doesn’t think the Frisco native is a talented young star in the making.
In fact, that’s exactly why Smith says he hopes this current iteration of the Dallas organization steers clear.
“I don’t think the Cowboys clearly understand what they really want,” the three-time Super Bowl winner said. “They’re after excitement and thrills and stuff, and they don’t have a plan. First of all, they don’t even have a plan, truly, for Dak Prescott, let alone CeeDee Lamb. Where’s the plan? The plan they have right now has not made sense over the last couple years, so all of a sudden you’re going to wake up and come up with a plan for a new kid?”
“I don’t think the Cowboys clearly understand what they really want…they don’t have a plan for him.”
Dallas Cowboys legend Emmitt Smith doesn’t think the Cowboys should draft Ashton Jeanty @DLLS_Cowboys | @timeforjeffrey | @clarencehilljr | @JoeJHoyt | #SuperBowlLIX pic.twitter.com/wElMlfofCm
— DLLS Sports (@DLLS_Sports) February 6, 2025
Smith- and other former Cowboys players- have been increasingly vocal about the Cowboys’ apparent lack of…
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at Cowboys Wire…