Emmitt Smith might have thought the Dallas Cowboys should go in another direction with the No. 4 overall pick of the 2016 NFL Draft, but that doesn't mean he's not impressed with its chosen prize in Ezekiel Elliott.
Smith, a Pro Football Hall of Famer and the NFL's all-time leading rusher, believes Elliott is even better than he was:
Smith, of course, was a decorated rusher at the University of Florida before becoming the Cowboys' No. 17 overall pick in the 1990 NFL Draft. He went on to NFL stardom and three Super Bowl titles. About two weeks ago, Smith said he thought the club was in good shape at the running back position with Darren McFadden and free-agent signee Alfred Morris, and wanted to see the Cowboysaddress other needs with the No. 4 pick.
Elliott's blocking and receiving skills give him the well-rounded game that NFL scouts expect will make him an every-down back for the Cowboys. Before going onto become one of the best pro rushers ever, Smith averaged just 58.6 yards per game as a rookie. With arguably the NFL's best run-blocking offensive line in front of him, that's a mark Elliott will surely be expected to exceed in 2016.
Follow Chase Goodbread on Twitter *@ChaseGoodbread*.