“At running back, Tony Pollard is free to walk as well, as is linebacker Leighton Vander Esch,” Drummond wrote in a January 2, 2024 article titled “Cowboys first 7-round mock draft of 2024: OL, LB, RB needs filled.” “Vander Esch’s neck injury has the organization questioning whether he’ll play football again. There are key areas that must be addressed.”
To be fair, the Cowboys selecting Corum or another running back in the middle rounds of the 2024 NFL draft does not necessarily mean the end of Pollard in Big D.
Yet, Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb and Micah Parsons are among the players due for lucrative contract extensions. The Cowboys will need to cut costs somewhere, and many NFL teams are doing so at running back.
Corum could serve as a potential complement to Pollard at the beginning of his career. Michigan had no problem making Corum the team’s bell cow running back on their way to a title run. Corum had 21 carries for 134 yards and 2 touchdowns against Washington in the national title game. The playmaker also scored the game-winning touchdown against Alabama in the Rose Bowl.
Given Corum’s resume, is it realistic for the Cowboys to potentially land the running back in the third round? Corum’s 5-foot-8 size combined with limited production in the passing game have the Wolverines star projected to go in the third round.
“Corum’s 17-yard touchdown run in overtime against Alabama was a perfect encapsulation of his skills as an NFL prospect,” The Athletic’s Dane Brugler detailed in a January 8 story titled, “Ranking the top 25 NFL Draft prospects in Michigan-Washington title showdown.” “He runs with urgent decision-making at the line and pairs his eyes with his feet to bounce between gaps and find daylight.
“One of the knocks against Corum is his below-average impact as a receiver, which is ironic because his two catches in the Rose Bowl were pivotal plays: a first-quarter touchdown and a fourth-down catch and run in the final minutes of regulation. He is considered a third-round prospect.”
Pollard played on the $10 million franchise tag for Dallas this season. Spotrac projects Pollard’s market value to be a three-year, $19.8 million contract. It remains to be seen if Dallas will be willing to give Pollard a lucrative long-term deal.
