Texas Longhorns junior running back Jaydon Blue, who just turned 21 earlier this week, is gearing up for a CFP semifinal matchup with the Ohio State Buckeyes later today. However, he’s already said this would be his final year in Austin. He’s going pro ladies and gentlemen.
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The Houston native had 714 yards and eight TDs on the ground to go with 37 receptions for 309 yards and four more scores this season prior to the Cotton Bowl Classic against the Buckeyes. Not excellent numbers. But, Blue was dealing with a bad ankle throughout the year, and he showed out against Clemson in the CFP a couple of weeks ago with 146 yards on 14 carries.
He’s got a great first step, 4.4 speed, and pretty solid hands. He should be a three-down back once he goes pro. The 6’0″, 200-pound Texans is, however, going to need to pack on some pounds to ensure he can handle work inside the tackles and in pass protection. He’s being projected as a top-100 pick in the 2025 Draft, so let’s see who could come knocking at Blue’s door come draft night.
3. Las Vegas Raiders
How about the team that rushed for the fewest yards in the NFL in 2024: the Raiders. Not only that, but they averaged the fewest yards per carry (3.6) and had the lowest-graded rushing attack overall (56.5), per PFF. Zamir White and Sincere McCormick showed some flashes this year, but whoever Mark Davis brings in as the new head coach will have no commitments to those players.
Their leading rusher, Alexander Mattison, had just 420 yards. His 3.2 yards per carry were also the lowest mark in the league. Blue would be a great option for them because he won’t cost too much draft capital—he can probably be picked in the 3rd round—and he offers game-breaking big-play speed that will be attractive to someone like owner Mark Davis and a town like Vegas.
2. Denver Broncos
The Broncos have some decent players at running back right now — Javonte Williams and 2024 fifth-round pick Audric Estime. However, both were a bit disappointing in 2024.
Denver nearly failed to produce a 500-yard rusher this year just like the Raiders, but Williams just eclipsed the threshold with 513. Williams has had three full years now to lay a strong claim to the Broncos backfield, and despite that potential, he has not done it.
Estime, a burly power back, is an interesting option, but he doesn’t need to be a bell cow. In fact, the swift and nifty Blue could serve as the perfect lightning to Estime’s thunder. Blue’s ability to make an impact in the passing game will also be intriguing for someone like Broncos head coach Sean Payton. The wily veteran made great use of a similar dual-threat back, Alvin Kamara, when he was in New Orleans.
1. Dallas Cowboys
Rico Dowdle has made a heck of an impression this year. He’s served as one of the few lights during a dark Dallas season. However, very rarely do teams hand the keys to an entire backfield to a running back after one great year. The Cowboys fanbase has been begging for an exciting addition to the offense, and a home run hitter like Jaydon Blue would be just the thing.
Blue could be the perfect complement to Dallas’ burgeoning star running back. Dowdle runs tough between the tackles, but he wasn’t exactly a major piece of the passing game. Eventually, Blue could take the reins himself once Dowdle begins to wilt.
Not to mention, Jaydon Blue—a Houston-born-and-raised boy who went to college at Texas—playing for the biggest team in the state would seem to be a match made in heaven.
