Dallas Cowboys land another undrafted TCU running back, signing Darius ‘Jet’ Anderson
The Dallas Cowboys have signed a couple TCU running backs who went undrafted.
Sewo Olonilua joined the Cowboys as a fullback, ready to compete for a job, and now Darius Anderson has reached a deal to join America’s Team. The Cowboys are also reportedly bringing in South Carolina running back Rico Dowdle as an undrafted free agent.
Anderson received $110,000 guaranteed ($10,000 signing bonus and $100,000 of his base salary), a source confirmed.
Anderson rushed for 823 yards with six touchdowns last season. He had three consecutive 100-yard games early in the year.
Anderson is nicknamed ‘Jet’ as he proved to be a home-run threat with the ball in his hands. He had a 70-yard TD run against Texas as a freshman in 2016, and then sprinted for a record-setting 93-yard TD run against Ohio State as a junior in 2018. At the Senior Bowl in January, Anderson had a 75-yard TD reception on a wheel route.
Anderson had 18 touchdowns rushing combined in his college career (six in 2019, three in 2018, eight in 2017 and one in 2016).
But Anderson ran a disappointing 4.61-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine and there are questions whether he is an every down back at the next level. The area that needs most improvement for the 5-foot-10 ½ inch, 195-pound Anderson is in pass protection.
But now he’ll have an opportunity to prove he’s an NFL-caliber running back with the Cowboys.
The Cowboys had the NFL’s fifth-best rushing attack in 2019 with Ezekiel Elliott ranking fourth in yards rushing with 1,357 and fifth in rushing TDs with 12. Tony Pollard, a fourth-round pick in the 2019 draft, proved to be a capable backup.
Anderson will be pushing to make the team as its third running back.
This story was originally published April 26, 2020 at 1:25 PM.
