Cowboys tight end Jason Witten is well-aware that Ezekiel Elliott still has to prove himself in the NFL, but he likes what he’s seen out of his new teammate to this point.
The Cowboys drafted Elliott fourth overall in the draft last month, which got most of North Texas excited about the possibilities brought by the man they call Zeke. Before him, the last time the Cowboys selected a running back in the Top 20, it was Emmitt Smith in 1991. The time before that, it was Tony Dorsett in 1977.
It’s a little early to place Elliott among such company for long, but he figures to help return the Cowboys’ offense to something like what it was in 2014, when DeMarco Murray set the franchise rushing record and the team rode that run-heavy approach to the NFC East title and their first playoff win since 2009.
"I think he's a dynamic back that can bring those similar traits to your offense and how you want to approach and play offensive football," Witten said, per the Dallas Morning News. "Easier said than done, you have to go out there and do it, and that's what this time [of year is for], building our team and understanding the opportunity is now and we've got to maximize it.
"I think Zeke has shown he can be an elite player, and the bigger the stage and the moment he has got in his career, it looks like he played his best football."
