Drafting a Swing Tackle

[IrishAnto]

So are you saying that Brown is better than SMith since Brown won the trophy last year over Smith. Why didn't Brown go 1st round then and SMith is worth the 9th pick.

Only reason why "scouts" TV guys have Smith over Carimi is the same reason why they had draft busts rated so high. His upsdie and potetntial and not based off his play. SMith has the atlethic ability and potetnial to be some kind of great LT. Like any of them can actually see the future.

No I don't think Carimi would be a top 20 pick in next years draft. He wouldn't have been in last years draft either. I don't think any OT this year is worth the 9th pick.

Brown was better than Smith last year, but as you can see Smith improved as a player and considering his obvious athletic ability and because he’s put sufficient weight on (while still retaining his athleticism) this is why he’ll get drafted higher than Brown did.

So you don’t think scouts look at the guys play on the field???

Explain why no scouts had Bruce Campbell going in the first round last year?

Was he not as athletic as Smith?

And you still haven’t provided any evidence to support your statement that Smith wouldn't be a top 20 pick next year.

 

[fortdick]

If Kalil is so much better than Smith, why was it that Smith won the Morris trophy?

Carimi won the Outland Trophy. That is better than the Morris Trophy, so I guess Carimi is better.

 

[TheCount]

Brown was better than Smith last year, but as you can see Smith improved as a player and considering his obvious athletic ability and because he’s put sufficient weight on (while still retaining his athleticism) this is why he’ll get drafted higher than Brown did.

So you don’t think scouts look at the guys play on the field???

Explain why no scouts had Bruce Campbell going in the first round last year?

Was he not as athletic as Smith?

And you still haven’t provided any evidence to support your statement that Smith wouldn't be a top 20 pick next year.

Plenty of people had Campbell going in the first last year. Well plenty of people other than people that actually make draft decisions.

 

[fortdick]

The Defensive Linemen in the PAC 10 vote for the Morris trophy winner.

The same Defensive Linemen that play against Kalil and Smith.

Does Carimi play in the PAC 10?

So DL's for 9 schools should decide who we draft? I would much rather it was the Ivy League than the Pac 10 deciding for us!

 

[fortdick]

I think Sherrod and Smith are the only two first round tackles who project to the left side eventually. I could easily be wrong about that but that's the rumor.

From what I have read, Smith isn't as physical as Carimi, who projects to the right side because of his power in the running game. Smith is more of a finesse blocker.

 

[IrishAnto]

So DL's for 9 schools should decide who we draft? I would much rather it was the Ivy League than the Pac 10 deciding for us!

I'm sure it will be the Ivy League who will decide. I doubt he went to California just to top up his tan.

 

[Dough Boy]

We need a swing tackle. Unless Houck thinks he can convert Barron into a real live tackle then we don't have one.

You can argue about Smith being the right pick at nine from a talent standpoint. But he is definitely the best candidate out there for a swing tackle.

I think this is the primary reason Dallas may take him at nine. Otherwise they could take a chance on trading down and trying to get him in the teens.

I'm not saying he can't start at RT if he's drafted. Even if he starts he can still be the swing tackle taking over for an injured Free.

BTW, I'm not a huge fan but I do see the talent esp down the road.

I wrote this about 2 weeks ago:

You may want to consider the following. The 'swing' tackle this year was Barron. No one thinks he's coming back. So who is your 'swing' tackle this year. The benefit of Smith is, while starting at RT he could serve as your 'swing' also. This will allow the Boys more flexibility on game day as your backup LT is already on the field and into the flow of the game.

Smith, if he is the pick, addresses two needs. A starting RT and back up LT in case Free goes down. As of today, we do not have a backup LT which is one of the most important positions on the field.

Given Smiths age, he could project to be the long term replacement to Free. I like Free at LT. If and I say if, Smith can handle speed rushers 1 on 1 and Free can handle his man 1 on 1, the passing game will explode.

For sure the OL and DB have to be addressed. I do think Smith is the consensus top pick at OL. I think Peterson is the top CB and I'm not a fan of Prince (I can't get that Blackmon abusing out of my head) and no FS is worthy of a 1st round pick. Of the areas of need and going with the BPA, Smith would seem to marry need to talent.

Last item, the entire draft is about projections. D. Ware never played OLB prior to Dallas drafting him. Ratliff never played NT prior to being drafted. The list goes on and on, but the draft is about projecting. There are no sure things in the draft but if you can lean on talent and work ethic, I think you will be right more than wrong. By all accounts, Smith is a very good run blocker and has excellent feet (LT worthy) and very long arms. Clearly he is dedicated, he benched 29 reps with 36 inch arms - no small task. So he has talent and work ethic, so in my book he is at least worthy of all the consideration he is getting.

JMHO

http://cowboyszone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=207915&page=2&highlight=swing+tackle

 

[supercowboy8]

Brown was better than Smith last year, but as you can see Smith improved as a player and considering his obvious athletic ability and because he’s put sufficient weight on (while still retaining his athleticism) this is why he’ll get drafted higher than Brown did.

So you don’t think scouts look at the guys play on the field???

Explain why no scouts had Bruce Campbell going in the first round last year?

Was he not as athletic as Smith?

And you still haven’t provided any evidence to support your statement that Smith wouldn't be a top 20 pick next year.

all the tv scouts had Brown and Campbell both going in the 1st. Some had Dallas drafting Campbell and or Brown in the 1st. I was all against that, I was saying no way to both. No one knows what team scouts actually think about these players till after the draft. All these TV scouts can talk all they want but there is a reason why they right an article for a magizine or website and are not in the war room.

 

[fortdick]

I'm sure it will be the Ivy League who will decide. I doubt he went to California just to top up his tan.

USC isn't exactly know for academic achievement.

 

[CATCH17]

So we want a tackle that swings both ways?

 

[Rhubarb]

USC isn't exactly know for academic achievement.

http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/rankings/national-universities/page+3

It's actually a very good school. While it isn't KNOWN to be a top academic school, there have been several changes in the past 20 years to put it on the level it is now.

 

[jobberone]

No, you can't. What makes you think Smith, or any other rookie RT, would be ready to man the left side either?

Both Jerry and Wade said in the past that when a player gets injured, they believe in starting that players backup rather than creating a problem at two positions.

This is precisely what Boylhart was cautioning against, because I can see this entire thread is setup as another advocacy for drafting Tyron Smith.

You can't draft Smith to play RT because you think he is a better backup for Free than Barron, that's insane.

All things being equal you draft the OT most likely to be able to play on the left side. Sometimes it's obvious they can play LT. Other times you have to take your best guess even for those tackles who played LT in college. While it's not clear this year who can play on the left, many think Smith is the best bet and that Sherrod can play on the left as well. There are question marks for the others as to being able to play on the left.

We don't have a swing tackle we can trust. Smith meets that criteria as well as being the highest thought of tackle. No you don't just use the criteria of being able to play both sides as a reason to draft a tackle. But it's a factor and in Dallas's position is a very important one.

I think Smith meets most of the criteria for drafting a tackle. He may not be the most play ready of all the tackles but he is the most athletic. And while he's not played LT he projects to that side better than most of the other tackles. I think all that taken together may be enough for Dallas to justify using a nine pick on what is currently a RT.

Don't forget that defenses are starting to line up their best pass rusher on the strong side of the offense as well as the weak side. RTs have to be able to deal with fast outside rushers as well as LTs do. That's another reason to think of drafting a tackle with the footwork to be able to do that.

 

[jobberone]

From what I have read, Smith isn't as physical as Carimi, who projects to the right side because of his power in the running game. Smith is more of a finesse blocker.

I think Carimi is probably a better tackle overall right now than Smith. I agree he has better plowing skills than Smith. IOWs he's more NFL ready. But there are question marks about his ability to play on the left. I think Smith's upside and perceived ability to play on the left makes him a more desirable draftee.

 

[jobberone]

I wrote this about 2 weeks ago:


http://cowboyszone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=207915&page=2&highlight=swing+tackle

What can I say. Great minds think alike.

 

[IrishAnto]

USC isn't exactly know for academic achievement.

I wasn't talking about Smith, but Garrett who went to Princeton.

 

[IrishAnto]

Plenty of people had Campbell going in the first last year. Well plenty of people other than people that actually make draft decisions.

But it wasn't much of a shock that Campbell fell out of the first round as the knock on him was that he looked like Tarzan, played like Jane.

On the other hand it would be a shock to see Smith fall out of the first round (or even the top 20 in all probability).