A tough thing to witness for true football fans is when a really talented player gets hurt prior to the draft, which hurts his stock.
This is exactly the case for Texas running back Jonathon Brooks.
The All-Big 12 performer is a first-round talent and was slated to go exactly then, but a torn ACL in November destroyed those chances.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter noted that Brooks would’ve been selected late in the first round if he didn’t suffer the major injury.
Per Schefter, RB Jonathon Brooks possibly would have gone late Round 1 if he didn’t tear his ACL
And he’ll be nine months clear from surgery August 1st. Plenty of time to ramp up for Week 1. pic.twitter.com/TJCeDcVl9h
— Graham Barfield (@GrahamBarfield) April 22, 2024
The good news for the 1,000-yard rusher is that he is likely to go in the second round and still has plenty of time to get up to speed prior to Week 1.
This is exactly the reason why he might be one of the best draft picks this year.
Perhaps a team like the Chargers, who lost all-purpose running back Austin Ekeler to the Commanders this offseason, could take a swing at him.
Or, maybe a team in Brooks’s own backyard could use his services.
Yes, the Dallas Cowboys.
Remember, they lost Pro Bowl running back Tony Pollard to the Tennessee Titans in free agency and now need a new running back.
Wherever Brooks ends up, he will be in good hands if healthy because of who he is.
He is coming off a career year at Texas that saw him rush for 1,139 yards on just 187 carries (6.1 rushing average).
Look for No. 24 to be a real weapon for whoever selects him, especially if he is fully healthy by the start of the season.
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