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Dallas Cowboys: A baptism by fire for this rookie Week One

By Steven Mullenax

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - MARCH 01: Texas offensive lineman Connor Williams speaks to the media during NFL Combine press conferences at the Indiana Convention Center on March 1, 2018 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - MARCH 01: Texas offensive lineman Connor Williams speaks to the media during NFL Combine press conferences at the Indiana Convention Center on March 1, 2018 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /
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The Dallas Cowboys will need a stellar performance from this rookie if they are going to get the most out of their running game against the Panthers.

The Dallas Cowboys will kick off their regular season on Sunday playing the Carolina Panthers in their Week One game. The Panthers are a team coming off an 11-5 season in 2017 and are just two years removed from a Super Bowl run.

One of the biggest matchups of the game will be in the trenches. The Cowboys offensive line is still reeling from the news that center Travis Frederick will be out for an unknown amount of time due to his recent diagnosis of Guillain-Barré Syndrome. That leaves the Cowboys with Joe Looney at center. And although Looney is a sixth-year veteran, he does have a rookie scheduled to start beside him at left guard.

Connor Williams was the Cowboys’ surprising selection in the second round of the 2018 NFL Draft. Dallas had previously spent three first round picks on their offensive line, so selecting the left tackle out of Texas was unexpected. But Williams was touted by some as a possible top ten selection, so the Cowboys were unable to resist when he was still available at 50th overall.

Slated to become their starting left guard as a rookie, Williams’ acclimation to the NFL was expected to be eased by the presence of two perennial Pro Bowlers sandwiching him in left tackle Tyron Smith and Frederick at center. With Looney filling in for the latter, the young guard could find his first NFL start a bit more daunting.

That’s in large part due to the defender Williams is expected to face this Sunday, Panthers’ Pro Bowl defensive tackle Kawann Short. Here’s what DallasCowboys.com football analyst Bryan Broaddus said about the second round rookie’s monster matchup this Sunday in his debut.

"“Connor Williams against [Kawann] Short. This is going to be a baptism by fire for Connor Williams. He’s had moments where he’s run blocked well, pass blocked well. And then he has the one or two breakdowns. So hopefully, it’s not in a key down and distance situation. But Kawann Short is going to definitely, definitely be a guy they are going to have to account for.”"

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Last season, Short racked up 49 total tackles, 7.5 sacks and forced two fumbles. Pro Football Focus ranked him as the second-best defensive tackle in the NFL in 2017, number two against the run. That means, in his first regular season game as a professional, rookie left guard Connor Williams will be matched up against one of the top interior defenders in the NFL. Will he be up for the challenge? We’ll find out.

For more grades, advanced statistics and more at Pro Football Focus, subscribe to PFF’s EDGE or ELITE subscriptions at ProFootballFocus.com.

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