The Dallas Cowboys entered the 2022 NFL Draft with a major need on the offensive line. Zack Martin was heading into his age-32 season, and Tyron Smith had played just 13 games over the last two seasons. Little did the Cowboys know that Smith would suffer an injury in training camp that would cost him almost all of the 2022 season.
Dallas got old on the offensive line really quickly, and they needed an influx of talent up front. Heading into that draft, many fans wanted the Cowboys to select Tyler Linderbaum to fill their center need, while others wanted them to take a chance on a highly athletic tackle in Trevor Penning.
Instead, the Cowboys took Tyler Smith, a left tackle from Tulsa, and that move was widely panned for being a major reach. Hindsight is always 20/20, but the Cowboys couldn’t have made a better selection at No. 24.
Cowboys' Tyler Smith ranked as top OL from 2022 NFL Draft
Heading into the 2022 NFL Draft, Tyler Smith was viewed as a risky offensive line prospect, given that he led college football in penalties during the 2021 season. He had NFL strength and athleticism, but the concern was that the holding penalties could keep him off the field at the next level.
Smith was the No. 47-ranked player on the consensus board, according to The Athletic, and was the ninth-ranked offensive lineman in that class. But the Cowboys saw the vision with Smith and believed he would make an outstanding guard in their offense.
In a recent article by Nick Baumgardner of The Athletic, he re-ranked each positional group from the 2022 NFL Draft now that each player has four years under their belt. And to no surprise, Smith was the No. 1-ranked offensive lineman. Here is what he had to say about the standout guard for Dallas:
“Many scouts graded Tyler Smith as a tackle (his college position at Tulsa) heading into the 2022 draft, and they were nervous about his lack of experience as he was one of the younger linemen in the class. He was terrific at left tackle as a rookie and has been even better since moving to guard ahead of the 2023 season. At 25, Smith is one of the top offensive linemen in the NFL.”
Smith had somewhat of a down season by his standards in 2025, as he dealt with a knee injury for much of the year. The Cowboys were careful to manage his snaps in practice, and he did miss one game earlier in the year with that injury.
However, he was still a Pro Bowl selection for the third time in his career and was the fifth-ranked guard in the run game during the 2025 season, according to Pro Football Focus. He also made the switch back to left tackle late in the season as Tyler Guyton and Nate Thomas both were out with injuries.
Smith is only 25 years old and is just starting to enter the prime of his career. And with some better injury luck, as well as with the other players around him, we could see Smith have an All-Pro caliber season in 2026. There is no doubt he has the talent to be the best interior offensive lineman in the NFL. He just needs to stay healthy, and it would also help if he could focus on one position, rather than moving back and forth from guard to tackle.
The Cowboys have had a mixed track record of success in Round 1 over the last six years, but Smith could wind up being one of their very best picks over the last three decades. He’s that good of a player, and he’s only starting to scratch the ceiling of his potential.
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