Every player chosen in the top five picks of an NFL draft comes into the league with high expectations and Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott is no exception.
The Cowboys made Elliott the fourth overall pick of this year’s draft instead of addressing a defense that flopped last season in hopes of recapturing the offensive production they had while winning the NFC East in 2014. DeMarco Murray led the league in rushing that year with 1,845 yards and it’s probably safe to say that a lot of people expect the same from Elliott in order to live up to his draft position.
Elliott isn’t shying away from that. He said Friday that he understands “what’s expected of me” from the start of his career in Dallas.
“There’s pressure, but we’re athletes,” Elliott said, via the team’s website. “That’s what we play for. That’s why we play the game. Pressure is what we want and I feel like I thrive in those situations when there is a lot of pressure on me. Yeah, there’s pressure. Am I afraid of it? No. I’m just ready to prove myself.”
If Elliott is what the Cowboys hope he’ll be, Tony Romo is back to pre-injury form and the other key offensive players stay healthy, scoring points shouldn’t be a problem. That’s only half the game, of course, but owner Jerry Jones believes that would make it easier for the defense to be better as well. In other words, the expectations attached to Elliott won’t be stopping when he goes to the sideline.