Who is the Dallas Cowboys next Pro Bowl offensive lineman?

Connor Williams, LG

During the 2018 NFL draft, the Cowboys wanted to grab a lineman to fill in at left guard for La’el Collins after he switched to the right tackle position. That’s why they drafted Connor Williams in the second round.

Having Jonathan Cooper start in 2017 did not work out great, at least good enough for owner Jerry Jones. He saw an opportunity to grab a 21-year-old that could start right away and stick around long term.

When Williams is on the field, you can see why Jones thought highly of him. For a player as young as he is, production is good. Two things stand out though.

The first is that in his two years in the NFL there were injuries. Williams was limited to 13 games during his rookie season and 11 games last season. That marks three straight seasons (including his draft year in college) where injuries kept his seasons short.

Another concern can be penalties. As a young offensive lineman in the NFL, you are bound to take penalties. The past two seasons Williams has 11 penalties in 24 games. While that’s not a ton, he should improve these numbers to help him take the next step.

While another lineman to be named is primed to become a Pro Bowler right now, Williams has at least a season or two. Making your first Pro Bowl at the age of 24/25 is not bad at all.

With experience playing left tackle in college, he can shift over if Tyron Smith retires. That or La’el Collins shifts to the left, with Williams shifting to the right tackle position. If he remains healthy, Williams has a lot of good play ahead of him.