Ezekiel Elliott

1st-round pick in the 2016 NFL Draft.

PRO: For just the second time in franchise history, the Dallas Cowboys used a top-five pick to select a running back when the team chose Ezekiel Elliott with the fourth pick of the 2016 NFL Draft. Elliott did not disappoint as a rookie, leading the NFL with 1,631 yards to become only the fifth rookie since the NFL merger to win the NFL rushing title. His 1,631 rushing yards - third by a rookie in NFL history - were aided by seven 100-yard rushing games - tops by a rookie in team history - and he totaled 1,994 yards from scrimmage which was third by a rookie in league history. Elliott became the fourth rookie in Cowboys history to be named to the Pro Bowl and only the fourth rookie, second running back, to be named All-Pro in franchise annals. He also took home FedEx Ground Player of the Year. Despite missing six games in 2017 (league-mandated suspension), Elliott led the league, averaging 98.3 yards-per-game, finishing 10th in the league with 983 yards. His third season saw him take home the rushing crown for the second time in his first three seasons, becoming the second Cowboy (Emmitt Smith - four) with multiple rushing titles. He paced the league with 1,434 yards and also became the first Cowboys running back to lead the team in receptions (77-club running back record) since 2003. For his efforts, he was selected to his second career Pro Bowl. After a summer-long holdout, and just prior to Week 1 of 2019, Elliott signed a six-year contract extension, keeping him in Dallas through 2025. In his fourth pro season, Elliott started all 16 games for the first time and topped 1,000 yards for the third time, finishing fourth in the NFL with 1,357 yards, placing second with 1,777 scrimmage yards and tying for fifth with 12 touchdowns. For his effort, Elliott was selected to his third career Pro Bowl. Through a 2020 season riddled with injuries to the offensive line and Prescott, Elliott rushed for 979 yards (11th in the league) with six touchdowns on 244 carries and had 338 receiving yards to top 1,000 scrimmage yards for the fifth straight season to join Tony Dorsett and Smith as the only three Cowboys to reach 1,000 scrimmage yards in each of his first five seasons.

TRANSACTION SUMMARY:

9/4/19: Signed a six-year extension through 2025.

4/28/16: Drafted in the first round (fourth overall) by Dallas.

2020:

• Started all 15 games he played, missing his first career game due to injury (calf) and rushed 244 times for 979 yards (11th in the NFL) with six touchdowns. Added 52 catches for 338 yards and two scores.
• Became the third Cowboy - Dorsett and Smith - to top 1,000 scrimmage yards in each of his first five seasons, finishing the year with 1,317.
• Opened the season with 96 yards on 22 carries with a touchdown and caught three passes for 31 yards and a touchdown at the LA Rams (9/13).
• Added rushing scores against Atlanta (9/20) and at Seattle (9/27).
• Selected as the offensive captain for the game against Cleveland (10/4).
• Logged his 10th career multi-rushing touchdown game with two, carrying the ball 19 times for 91 yards against the N.Y. Giants (10/11).
• Notched his first 100-yard game of the season, rushing for 103 yards on 21 carries while caching two passes for 11 yards with a six-yard touchdown catch at Minnesota (11/22).
• Passed 8,000 career scrimmage yards, rushing for 77 yards and adding 18 through the air at Baltimore (12/8).
• Missed his first career game due to injury (calf) against San Francisco (12/20), then returned against Philadelphia (12/27) to rush for 105 yards while nabbing his 50th catch of the season to mark his third straight 50-catch season - tied with Herschel Walker for the second-most 50-catch seasons by a Cowboy (Smith, four).

2019:

• Signed a six-year extension after missing training camp and started all 16 games for the first time in his career.
• Was fourth in the NFL with 1,357 rushing yards - his third career 1,000-yard effort - and tied for fifth with 12 touchdowns.
• Added 54 catches for 420 yards with two scores.
• Topped 100 yards on seven occasions, had a streak of four games with a touchdown and had back-to-back two-touchdown performances.
• Tallied his 20th career 100-yard effort in the win at Washington (9/15), totaling 111 yards and a touchdown on 23 carries.
• Had 125 yards on 19 carries (6.6) against Miami (9/22), teaming with Tony Pollard (103) to mark the fourth time in franchise history Dallas had two backs over 100 rushing yards - first since 1998. The duo totaled 235 rushing yards - the most since 2011.
• Had 105 yards and a touchdown at the N.Y. Jets (10/13), then notched his fourth 100-yard game of the year with 111 yards and a score on 22 carries against Philadelphia. It was his fourth straight game with a rushing touchdown - the longest streak of his career.
• Rushed for a season-high 139 yards on 23 carries at the N.Y. Giants (11/4).
• Started his 50th career game and tallied 45 yards and a touchdown on 16 runs at Detroit (11/17).
• Cracked the club's top-10 all-time scrimmage yards list after rushing for 86 yards and adding 40 receiving yards at New England (11/24).
• Topped 5,000 career rushing yards - fifth Dallas Cowboy - and passed Calvin Hill (5,009) for fourth in rushing yards in team history after adding 71 yards on 12 runs on Thanksgiving Day against Buffalo (11/28).
• Hit the 1,000-yard mark for the season at Chicago (12/5) while adding two rushing scores.
• Rushed for 117 yards with a pair of scores against the LA Rams (12/15) to give him consecutive multi-rushing touchdown games. Pollard also topped 100 yards in the game, marking the first time in franchise history Dallas had multiple running backs top 100 yards in the same game two different times in a season.
• Closed out the season against Washington (12/29) with 122 yards on 18 runs with a touchdown.

2018:

• Earned his second career Pro Bowl selection after capturing the league rushing crown for the second time in his first three seasons - 11th player, fifth since the merger, and second Dallas Cowboy to win the rushing title at least twice in his first three seasons.
• Had 1,434 yards on 304 carries (4.7) and six touchdowns.
• Became the first Dallas running back since 2003 to lead the team in receptions, catching a club running back record 77 passes for 567 yards (third on the team) with three scores.
• Topped 2,000 all-purpose yards (2,001) for the first time in his career (fifth time in franchise history).
• Started the season with a rushing touchdown in each of the first two games, then rushed for his first 100-yard outing, finishing with 127 yards on 16 carries (7.9) at Seattle (9/23).
• Logged his second straight 100-yard game, rushing for 152 yards (third in his career) on 25 carries (6.1) against Detroit (9/30). Also led the team with 88 receiving yards (second in his career), including a 38-yard touchdown catch and a 34-yarder to set up the game-winning field goal. His 240 scrimmage yards marked the first 200-yard game of the season in the NFL and the most in his career. He is the first Cowboys rusher, 15th NFL rusher (17th occurrence) with 150-or-more rushing yards and at least 80 receiving yards in a game.
• Totaled 151 yards (fourth in his career) and a touchdown on 19 carries (7.9) and caught six balls for 36 yards and a touchdown at Philadelphia (11/11).
• Topped 200 scrimmage yards for the second time this season - fourth in his career - with his fifth 100-yard rushing game (122) and a team-best 79 receiving yards on seven catches.
• Reached 1,000 yards on the season for the second time of his career, finishing with 121 yards and a touchdown on 26 runs against Washington (11/22) on Thanksgiving Day.
• Tied his single-season best with his seventh 100-yard outing, finishing with 113 yards against Philadelphia (12/9). Also caught a career-high 12 passes (tied with Emmitt Smith for a Cowboys running back record) for 79 yards to put him over 5,000 career scrimmage yards.
• Rushed for 137 yards (fifth in a Cowboys playoff game) on 26 carries (5.3) and his first postseason touchdown against Seattle (1/5/19). With his 125 yards in the 2018 Divisional Game, logged consecutive playoff games with 100 yards - the third Cowboy with back-to-back 100-yard games.

2017:

• Missed six games due to a league-mandated suspension and finished 10th with 983 rushing yards - tops in the league with a 98.3 yard-per-game average - and tied for 11th with seven scores.
• Had a pair of touchdowns (one rush, one receiving) against the LA Rams (10/1), then topped 2,000 career rushing yards (15th Dallas Cowboy) against Green Bay (10/8), rushing for 116 yards on 29 carries.
• Totaled 219 scrimmage yards (147 rushing, 72 receiving) at San Francisco (10/22) while rushing for two touchdowns and catching one. 
• Rushed a career-high 33 times for 150 yards with two touchdowns. His third straight 100-yard game and second straight multi-touchdown game at Washington (10/29).
• Returned to the field against Seattle (12/24) after missing six games with a suspension and rushed 24 times for 97 yards (4.0) and had four catches for 21 yards.
• Logged his 12th career 100-yard game - fifth of the season - with 103 yards in the finale at Philadelphia (12/31).

2016:

• Started all 15 games he played, missing one (coach's decision), and was tops in the NFL in rushing yards (1,631) and attempts (322), third in touchdowns (15) and scoring (96 points).
• Became the fifth rookie since the 1970 merger to lead the NFL in rushing, joining Earl Campbell, George Rogers, Eric Dickerson and Edgerrin James.
• Second in the NFL - third by a rookie in league history - with 1,994 total scrimmage yards.
• Earned his first career trip to the Pro Bowl, becoming the fourth club running back selected to the game. Along with Dak Prescott, the pair became the first two Dallas rookies to be selected to the game.
• Also named All-Pro first-team and the FedEx Ground Player of the Year.
• Made his NFL debut as only the fourth Cowboys rookie running back to start a season opener and rushed 20 times for 51 yards with his first career touchdown against the N.Y. Giants (9/11).
• Rushed 21 times for 83 yards (4.0) and a touchdown - the first Cowboys rookie rusher to have a rushing touchdown in each of the first two games of his rookie season.
• Had his first career 100-yard game, rushing for 140 yards on 30 carries against Chicago (9/25). Is the 10th different Cowboys rookie to rush for 100 yards, and it was the 24th time a team rookie reached the mark. His 140 yards were eighth by a rookie in team history.
• Became the fourth club rookie to log consecutive 100-yard games with 138 at San Francisco (10/2). Also became the fifth Cowboys rusher overall with back-to-back 125-yard games.
• Rushed 15 times for 134 yards (8.9) with two touchdowns, including a career-long 60-yard jaunt for a score in the win over Cincinnati (10/9). It was his first multi-touchdown game - 21st by a Dallas rookie. He is the first club rookie with three consecutive 130-yard games - third NFL rookie (Eric Dickerson, 1983 and Mike Anderson, 2000).
• Had 157 yards - fourth by a Cowboys rookie rusher - on 28 carries (5.6). It was his fourth consecutive 100-yard game - first Cowboys rookie to four straight 100-yard outings - and the first NFL rookie rusher (11th overall back) to rush for at least 130 yards in four straight games.
• Had his second multi-touchdown game of the season, with two, on 18 carries for 92 yards at Cleveland (11/16).
• Earned NFC Offensive Player of the Week, rushing for his fifth 100-yard game of the season at Pittsburgh (11/13), finishing with 114 yards and two touchdowns (his third multi-touchdown game of the season, second consecutive) on 21 carries. Both scores came in the final 2:00, making him the first player to score two touchdowns in the final 2:00 of a game since Ahmad Rashad in 1974. Had two catches for 95 yards (career-high) with an 83-yard touchdown - second-longest scoring catch by a rookie in team history, fifth by a club running back. Became the first back since Gale Sayers in 1965 with a 60-plus yard touchdown run and an 80-plus yard scoring catch in a season. Topped 1,000 rushing yards, becoming only the third NFL rookie to reach the mark in his first nine games. His 209 scrimmage yards tied for fourth in club history - the sixth Dallas rookie to reach 200.
• Became the club's all-time leading rookie rusher, passing Dorsett (1,007), after rushing for 97 yards on 25 carries against Baltimore (11/20).
• Had two touchdowns and 97 yards on 20 carries on Thanksgiving Day against Washington (11/24) to become the fourth rookie in club history to reach 10 touchdowns - first since Emmitt Smith (1990). He is the eighth different running back to reach 10, marking the 17th time in club history a back had 10-plus rushing scores. Also passed Smith for rush attempts by a rookie.
• In the Thursday night win at Minnesota (12/1), rushed 20 times for 86 yards and a touchdown and caught four passes for 19 yards. Led all rushers in the game among both teams for the 11th straight game and tied Dorsett and Herschel Walker for the most rushing touchdowns by a rookie (12).
• Had a season-best 159 yards (fourth among rookies in team history) on 23 carries (6.9) with one touchdown against Tampa Bay (12/18). Became the second Cowboys rookie (Julius Jones) to post two 150-plus rushing yard games. It was his seventh 100-yard outing of the season and his 11th 100 scrimmage yard game - tied for third among NFL rookies. Became the club's all-time leading rookie scorer (13 rushing touchdowns).
• Against Detroit (12/26) rushed 12 times for 80 yards (6.7) with two touchdowns, his club rookie record (tied for second by an NFL rookie) fifth multi-touchdown game of the season. Had a 55-yard rushing score - his second of 50-plus this season - to join Tyreek Hill as the only two players with multiple 50-plus yard touchdown runs on the season. Also edged Herschel Walker (14) for the most combined touchdowns by a Dallas rookie (16).
• In the Divisional Playoff Game against Green Bay (1/15/17), became the fourth Cowboys rookie running back to start a postseason game and rushed 22 times (second by a rookie in Cowboys history) for 125 yards (third by a rookie in team history and ninth in NFL history). 

COLLEGE:

• Started all 13 games he played as a junior and was the Big Ten Offensive Player and Running Back of the Year while earning first-team All-Big Ten honors, finishing eighth in Heisman Trophy voting and earning the Chicago Tribune Silver Football Award as the Big Ten MVP.
• Led the conference (sixth in the nation) with 140.1 rushing yards-per-game and led the Big Ten with 156.9 all-purpose yards-per-game, posting 2,040 total yards.
• As a sophomore, was an All-Big Ten honorable mention, rushing for 1,878 yards and 18 touchdowns en route to the College Football Playoff National Championship.
• His 1,878 yards were second in school history behind Eddie George's 1,927 in 1995.
• Played in 11 games as a true freshman behind Carlos Hyde and rushed for 262 yards and two touchdowns on 30 carries (8.7 avg.). Also caught three passes for 23 yards and his lone career receiving touchdown.

PERSONAL:

• Consensus four-star prospect, one of the top-100 national prospects and the St. Louis Post-DispatchOffensive Player of the Year as a senior out of John Burroughs High School in St. Louis, Mo.
• Rushed for 2,155 yards with 40 touchdowns and totaled 3,061 all-purpose yards and 50 touchdowns for the 13-1 Class 3 state runner-up as a senior.
• Won four state championships in a 2.5-hour span as part of the Burroughs track & field team, winning the 100-meter dash, 200, 110 high hurdles and the 300 hurdles.
• Majored in marketing at OSU.

COMMUNITY:

• 2016-17 First Round Draft Picks Round Table at Draft Party.
• 2016 Rookie Club.
• 2016-19 Dallas Cowboys U High School Camp.
• 2016-19 NFL My Cause My Cleats Campaign - SPCA of Texas.
• 2017-19 Reliant Home Run Derby benefiting the Salvation Army.
• 2017-19 Dirk Nowitzki Heroes Celebrity Baseball Game (2019 MVP).
• 2019-20 Early Thanksgiving Day Meal at The Salvation Army.
• 2019 Paid for funeral of deceased teen football player.
• 2019 Thanksgiving PSA for Salvation Army.
• 2020 North Texas Foodbank Donation in partnership with GlobeLife.
• 2021 Draft-A-Thon.
• Annual Team Holiday Hospital Visits.
• Kickoff Luncheon and Dallas Cowboys Family Cookbook benefiting Happy Hill Farm.
• Make-A-Wish Foundation of North Texas.
• Salvation Army Angel Tree Christmas Program.