Jaydon Blue didn’t just show up to camp — he showed up calling his shot.
The rookie Dallas Cowboys running back recently declared he would win NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, a statement that immediately raised eyebrows across the league. But if you look closely at the current landscape? There may actually be a lane for him.
The last running back to win OROY was Saquon Barkley in 2018, and since then, the award has gone exclusively to quarterbacks and wide receivers.
But this year’s draft class?
Widely viewed as a down year at those two positions.
The top QB, Cam Ward, likely would’ve been the third or fourth quarterback taken in last year’s class. Same with top WR Tetairoa McMillan — talented, but not in the Marvin Harrison Jr., Malik Nabers, or Rome Odunze tier.
If there were ever a year for a running back to sneak in? It’s this one.
Here’s a look at the last nine OROY winners for context:
2016 – QB Dak Prescott
2017 – RB Alvin Kamara
2018 – RB Saquon Barkley
2019 – QB Kyler Murray
2020 – QB Justin Herbert
2021 – WR Ja’Marr Chase
2022 – WR Garrett Wilson
2023 – QB C.J. Stroud
2024 – QB Jayden Daniels
To understand the bar Blue must clear, look no further than the last two RBs to win it:
• Alvin Kamara (2017): 120 carries, 728 rushing yards, 8 rushing TDs, 81 receptions, 826 receiving yards, 5 receiving TDs
• Saquon Barkley (2018): 261 carries, 1,307 rushing yards, 11 rushing TDs, 91 receptions, 721 receiving yards, 4 receiving TDs
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That’s a combined average of: 276 touches, 1,791 yards, 14 total touchdowns, and 86 receptions.
And to put it in perspective — Kamara’s 81 catches match Ja’Marr Chase’s total in 2021 when he won OROY as a wide receiver. Barkley’s 91? That’s rare air.
Blue’s final season at Texas featured 134 carries and 41 catches — an average of 11.7 touches per game, nearly identical to Kamara’s rookie usage. He lined up in the slot more than any back in the country and thrives in space. The “Blue”print is there. Pun intended.
And here’s something else Cowboys fans need to know: Blue doesn’t just flash on tape — he’s verified fast. He clocked a 4.38 40-yard dash, and back in high school, ran a 10.7-second 100-meter dash — top-end speed he can sustain. That’s rare.
Even better? He enters the league with low mileage after spending his Texas career buried behind Bijan Robinson, Roschon Johnson, Jonathan Brooks, and Keilan Robinson — all NFL draft picks.
But it’s not just about usage. It’s about consistency, ball security, and explosion. Blue has to prove he can handle 10–12 touches per game at the pro level without turning it over — and turn those chances into real production.
No, he hasn’t earned the crown yet. But the timing, opportunity, and skill set?
He’s got a shot.