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Rainer Sabin / Reporter
Thirty-seven months have passed since the Cowboys acquired Felix Jones with the 22nd overall selection in the first round of the 2008 draft. But to this day their decision to take Jones instead of Pittsburgh running back Rashard Mendenhall is questioned by a subset of vocal fans.
They wonder why the Cowboys didn't see what the Steelers did, why Dallas couldn't anticipate what Pittsburgh could, and why their team drafted what appears to be the less productive player. They grouse and point to the fact that Mendenhall, who was snatched up one pick after Jones, has received more carries, rushed for more yards, and scored more touchdowns than the Cowboys' top tailback in the three seasons since both players turned pro.
Those numbers - the most-common and most-cited statistical data available -- bolster their argument that the Cowboys chose the wrong guy. They also seem to prove that the Cowboys made a mistake when they bypassed Mendenhall, who has broken the 1,000-yard barrier twice in the last two seasons, for a player who has yet to come close to approaching that threshold during his young career.
And while the hard evidence is indisputable, it's uncertain whether Mendenhall would have been the right fit for the Cowboys' system. More specifically, would he have excelled more than Jones within the parameters of Jason Garrett's offense? In light of a recent study by the website, Pro Football Focus, that answer isn't so clear.
From 2008-2010, Felix Jones proved to be one of the most capable receivers among NFL running backs. In three seasons, he dropped only one of the 74 catchable passes thrown his direction. That level of proficiency is even more impressive when considering that only two running backs in the NFL - New Orleans' Pierre Thomas and Houston's Steve Slaton - have had better success rates. Yet it wasn't until last season that the Cowboys seemed to recognize just how dependable Jones really was.
In 2010, only four Cowboys players were targeted more than Jones, who made 48 receptions for 450 yards -- an output that far exceeded his production the previous two years when he was playing a supporting role while hampered by injuries. In space and outside the hash marks, Jones utilized his best assets - speed and agility -- during the better part of last season.
Never was that more apparent than in the Cowboys' 33-20 victory over the New York Giants last November, when Jones ran 71 yards for a touchdown after hauling in a screen pass.
The emergence of Jones as a dynamic receiver made the Cowboys' pass-heavy offense that much more threatening while blunting the impact of the team's inefficient running game.
Yet it also shed light on why the Cowboys may have favored Jones over Mendenhall, who has proven to be one of the least reliable receivers among NFL running backs since he entered the league. In the last three years, Mendenhall has dropped eight of the 62 catchable passes (12.9 percent) thrown to him. That may not seem like much.
But had Mendenhall attained the minimum number of catchable passes needed to qualify for Pro Football Focus' study, his drop percentage would be one of the highest among running backs included in the analysis. Only Seattle's Marshawn Lynch, Arizona's Tim Hightower and Minnesota's Adrian Peterson fared worse during the same sample period.
That is a troublesome rate of failure, but it's one that is overlooked because Mendenhall isn't a regular receiving option out of the backfield in Pittsburgh's offense. Rather, he is a traditional rusher. In fact, in 24 of the 39 games in his career, he's caught one or fewer passes. Whether Mendenhall's lack of productivity as a receiver is the byproduct of the system in which he plays or a direct result of his ability to execute is difficult to ascertain.
But back in April 2008, when asked why he picked Jones over the Steelers' running back, owner Jerry Jones insinuated that Mendenhall's skill-set wouldn't necessarily enhance the Cowboys' offense.
"Both of them were so close you could flip a coin over them," Jones told The Dallas Morning News. "One of them could be a full-time 25-carry back. We don't see Felix that way."
Rather, the Cowboys saw Felix Jones as somebody whose versatile repertoire could be utilized within the offense that was in place. In retrospect, that was a keen observation. While Jones hasn't equaled the output Mendenhall has produced in the most-recognized statistical categories, he has outperformed him in other aspects - aspects that are valued by Garrett and the Cowboys.
In the end, Jones may not appear to be the better of the two running backs based on data that have historically quantified the productivity of players at their position. But it appears he is best-suited for the team that ultimately picked him. After all, the Cowboys want players who can catch the football. And Jones has proven he can do just that.
Thirty-seven months have passed since the Cowboys acquired Felix Jones with the 22nd overall selection in the first round of the 2008 draft. But to this day their decision to take Jones instead of Pittsburgh running back Rashard Mendenhall is questioned by a subset of vocal fans.
They wonder why the Cowboys didn't see what the Steelers did, why Dallas couldn't anticipate what Pittsburgh could, and why their team drafted what appears to be the less productive player. They grouse and point to the fact that Mendenhall, who was snatched up one pick after Jones, has received more carries, rushed for more yards, and scored more touchdowns than the Cowboys' top tailback in the three seasons since both players turned pro.
Those numbers - the most-common and most-cited statistical data available -- bolster their argument that the Cowboys chose the wrong guy. They also seem to prove that the Cowboys made a mistake when they bypassed Mendenhall, who has broken the 1,000-yard barrier twice in the last two seasons, for a player who has yet to come close to approaching that threshold during his young career.
And while the hard evidence is indisputable, it's uncertain whether Mendenhall would have been the right fit for the Cowboys' system. More specifically, would he have excelled more than Jones within the parameters of Jason Garrett's offense? In light of a recent study by the website, Pro Football Focus, that answer isn't so clear.
From 2008-2010, Felix Jones proved to be one of the most capable receivers among NFL running backs. In three seasons, he dropped only one of the 74 catchable passes thrown his direction. That level of proficiency is even more impressive when considering that only two running backs in the NFL - New Orleans' Pierre Thomas and Houston's Steve Slaton - have had better success rates. Yet it wasn't until last season that the Cowboys seemed to recognize just how dependable Jones really was.
In 2010, only four Cowboys players were targeted more than Jones, who made 48 receptions for 450 yards -- an output that far exceeded his production the previous two years when he was playing a supporting role while hampered by injuries. In space and outside the hash marks, Jones utilized his best assets - speed and agility -- during the better part of last season.
Never was that more apparent than in the Cowboys' 33-20 victory over the New York Giants last November, when Jones ran 71 yards for a touchdown after hauling in a screen pass.
The emergence of Jones as a dynamic receiver made the Cowboys' pass-heavy offense that much more threatening while blunting the impact of the team's inefficient running game.
Yet it also shed light on why the Cowboys may have favored Jones over Mendenhall, who has proven to be one of the least reliable receivers among NFL running backs since he entered the league. In the last three years, Mendenhall has dropped eight of the 62 catchable passes (12.9 percent) thrown to him. That may not seem like much.
But had Mendenhall attained the minimum number of catchable passes needed to qualify for Pro Football Focus' study, his drop percentage would be one of the highest among running backs included in the analysis. Only Seattle's Marshawn Lynch, Arizona's Tim Hightower and Minnesota's Adrian Peterson fared worse during the same sample period.
That is a troublesome rate of failure, but it's one that is overlooked because Mendenhall isn't a regular receiving option out of the backfield in Pittsburgh's offense. Rather, he is a traditional rusher. In fact, in 24 of the 39 games in his career, he's caught one or fewer passes. Whether Mendenhall's lack of productivity as a receiver is the byproduct of the system in which he plays or a direct result of his ability to execute is difficult to ascertain.
But back in April 2008, when asked why he picked Jones over the Steelers' running back, owner Jerry Jones insinuated that Mendenhall's skill-set wouldn't necessarily enhance the Cowboys' offense.
"Both of them were so close you could flip a coin over them," Jones told The Dallas Morning News. "One of them could be a full-time 25-carry back. We don't see Felix that way."
Rather, the Cowboys saw Felix Jones as somebody whose versatile repertoire could be utilized within the offense that was in place. In retrospect, that was a keen observation. While Jones hasn't equaled the output Mendenhall has produced in the most-recognized statistical categories, he has outperformed him in other aspects - aspects that are valued by Garrett and the Cowboys.
In the end, Jones may not appear to be the better of the two running backs based on data that have historically quantified the productivity of players at their position. But it appears he is best-suited for the team that ultimately picked him. After all, the Cowboys want players who can catch the football. And Jones has proven he can do just that.
