Dallas Cowboys drafted Ezekiel Elliott 10 years ago today

TL;DR

On April 28, 2016, the Dallas Cowboys drafted Ezekiel Elliott fourth overall, marking a pivotal moment in the franchise's history. Elliott's impact was immediate, leading the league in rushing during his rookie season and helping transition the team to a new era with Dak Prescott.

Key points

Ezekiel Elliott was drafted fourth overall by the Cowboys in 2016
He led the league in rushing in his rookie season
The Cowboys had a 4-12 record in the 2015 season

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Dallas Cowboys

CHICAGO, IL - APRIL 28: Ezekiel Elliott of Ohio State holds up a jersey after being picked #4 overall by the Dallas Cowboys during the first round of the 2016 NFL Draft at the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University on April 28, 2016 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jon Durr/Getty Images) | Getty Images It has officially been a decade. Today is April 28th, 2026 which means that 10 years ago today was April 28th, 2016. That was a pretty important day in Dallas Cowboys franchise history. You see on April 28th a decade ago, the NFL draft began. The Cowboys were coming off of a miserable 2015 season in which they went 4-12 and played 12 full games without Tony Romo under center. They won only one of them. Shout out Matt Cassel. The offseason that followed was one of great debate. Many argued that the Cowboys should prioritize a quarterback of the future like, at the time, Jared Goff or Carson Wentz. Others argued that defense was a priority and that Florida State’s Jalen Ramsey made the most sense. There was another group, though. This group championed leaning into the all-world offensive line that the Cowboys were building and extending, on some level, Romo’s career. The Cowboys chose to do this in actuality and spent the fourth overall pick on Ezekiel Elliott out of Ohio State. Zeke did transform the Cowboys offense. He led the league in rushing in his rookie season, he also did so two years later, and was a huge reason why the Cowboys had the offensive success that they did in that time. It goes without saying that Elliott was also instrumental in the franchise transitioning from Romo to that season. The great tragedy of it all as it relates to Romo is that he never got to play with Elliott as he was injured in the preseason that year. Prescott took over, the team went on a run, and the rest is history. For those unaware or who have forgotten, there is a single photo that exists of them literally playing together. Shortly before Romo was injured in that preseason game in he handed the ball off to Elliott one time. That’s it. Elliott, and subsequently Prescott, landed with the Cowboys at an interesting time in franchise history. The organization was moving out of their previous world headquarters in Valley Ranch and into The Star, a complex that has defined how sports teams establish complexes these days. He truly was the dawn of the future in a number of senses and it is surreal to think that his journey with the team now officially began a decade ago. What is your favorite Ezekiel Elliott memory?

Q&A

What pick was Ezekiel Elliott in the 2016 NFL Draft?

Ezekiel Elliott was selected fourth overall by the Dallas Cowboys in the 2016 NFL Draft.

How did Ezekiel Elliott perform in his rookie season?

Ezekiel Elliott led the league in rushing during his rookie season in 2016.

What was significant about the Cowboys' 2015 season before drafting Elliott?

The Cowboys had a disappointing 2015 season, finishing with a 4-12 record and struggling without quarterback Tony Romo.

Dallas Cowboys drafted Ezekiel Elliott 10 years ago today

TL;DR

Key points

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