The Dallas Cowboys 5th round picks are in the books: Texas Running Back Jaydon Blue and Florida Linebacker Shemar James are headed to Dallas at 149th overall and 152nd overall.
Dallas addresses both running back, which is perhaps their biggest offensive need, and linebacker in the span of four picks.
To get James at 152, they sent the 174th pick in the fifth round, and the 221st pick in the sixth round, to the Arizona Cardinals. That price tag is not too steep for a guy the Cowboys really like at a defensive position of need.
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When it comes to Blue, a local kid and Longhorn star, he marked the third consecutive selection from Dallas that was my highest graded player available.
Donovan Ezeiruaku, Shavon Revel, and Blue are all great value picks. Fans have been skeptical, and they do still need a wide receiver, but this draft class is really coming together right now.
Let’s talk about both Blue and James individually and what they could bring to the 2025 Cowboys roster.
149th Pick: Jaydon Blue, RB, Texas
The Cowboys can trust Blue to be the RB1 of this team in 2025.
They have been searching for a running back with legitimate juice for at least two years now, and this selection brings that and then some.
Blue, 21, ran a stellar 4.38 in the 40-yard dash and has elite explosiveness on the field. When he gets into the open field, you cannot catch him, and the stats back that up.
https://twitter.com/WerderEdNFL/status/1916201973163954460
Rushing for eight touchdowns in 2024, he spearheaded a dynamic Texas backfield with Quintrevion Wisner and Jerrick Gibson. His ability to provide the speed and electricity while a more powerful back handles the short-yardage situations brings huge potential to Dallas.
If they can find a strong running back in the backend of this draft, or through an acquisition, they might have something special behind Dak Prescott in 2025.
Javonte Williams and Miles Sanders should battle for the RB3 role, while Blue and that mystery addition take the main roles.
I also see pass-catching ability in the cards for Blue, as he reeled in 42 passes in 2024.
Overall, this kid is at a minimum the most explosive running back Dallas has had in a long time. At his ceiling, we could be talking about an All-Pro thanks to his speed, explosion, versatility, and untapped potential.
152nd Pick: Shemar James, LB, Florida
While you may have heard of Blue from his Texas career, the other Cowboys 5th Round pick, Shemar James, is an unknown name to much of the fanbase.
Born and raised in Mobile, Alabama, which has become essentially a pipeline city for professional sports, James excelled in high school and became a 4-star recruit. He committed to Florida over his hometown Crimson Tide, and he left his mark on Gainesville.
In just three seasons, spanning from the ages of 18 to 20, James tallied 165 total tackles, 12 tackles for loss, and five sacks in 34 career games.
Now, he enters the NFL as one of the youngest players in this draft class. He does not turn 21 until June.
https://twitter.com/RealD_Jackson/status/1904341139760480570
Dallas first met with James at the NFL Scouting Combine in February, and clearly, they came away with a strong impression. The 6’1″, 222-lb linebacker was a team captain and leader for the Gators’ defense.
He ran a 4.69 40-yard dash at the combine, which isn’t stellar for a guy his size, but he plays faster than that on the field.
James has to get stronger at the NFL level, and there are some serious questions about his instincts at linebacker, but his motor, sideline-to-sideline ability, and coverage upside are all well worth the second Cowboys 5th round selection.