Meeting Cowboys’ No. 24 pick Tyler Smith: Strengths, Weaknesses, Fit
Tyler Smith’s Strengths
Versatility: The All-Conference stud is one of the most versatile prospects in this draft. He is capable of playing any position on the line, including center. He primarily played left tackle in college, but is more than capable and could be even better at guard. His size and length checkout as position-flexible which will pay dividends for the ‘Boys.
Motor: One of the most aggressive and nastiest players in this draft, Smith plays every single down to the whistle. He seeks to completely fold his opposition and is the definition of a mauler. The first-rounder has the mindset to be great in the NFL and his tape shows his determination and how he cares for his quarterback.
If football "isn't that serious" someone forgot to tell @TulsaFootball OT Tyler Smith.
— Trevor Sikkema (@TampaBayTre) March 24, 2022
“People are trying to hurt my quarterback. I'm really protecting somebody's life back there.”
A ferocious finisher, Smith brings a mentality to trench play every NFL team will covet.@PFF ⤵️
Power: Smith’s ability to overpower his opponent is unmatched. His strength at the point-of-attack is among the best and he dominates in the run game. He uses this power to absorb contact well and doesn’t allow much push on him.
Run Blocking: This is the Tulsa star’s bread and butter. What the Cowboys need is help in the run game up front and this is the least Smith will give them. Graded as a top-6 run blocker in the country by Pro Football Focus, he drives his opponents back and helps create lanes for runners extremely well.
Did not expect to have to become a Tyler Smith Guy, but we gotta stop talking about him like he's some scrub pic.twitter.com/ZFhkzv88ut
— James Foster (@NoFlagsFilm) April 28, 2022
Size: As stated before, Smith is a massive being at 6-5 and 324 pounds. He has great length for the position and this will help him a lot, especially if he makes a switch to guard. For comparison, he is built very similarly to current Cowboy Tyron Smith. Tyron stands at 6-5, but a lighter 320 pounds.
Potential: With Tyler Smith’s motor, size, and explosiveness, he has some of the highest potential in this draft as a lineman and overall. His ceiling is that of a potential All-Pro down the road if he can work on some coachable issues. He only just turned 21 years old, similar to Tyron when he was drafted, and working with Tyron and Zack Martin is about as good of a situation as you can put him in.