Drafting O-Linemen in the1st Round

[plasticman]

This may come as a surprise to some but, since 2000, the Cowboys have drafted O-linemen in the 1st round at a rate that is equal to the average NFL team. The average NFL team drafted four O-linemen in the 1st round between 2000 and 2023. In fact, there are around a half dozen NFL teams that have drafted more O-linemen in the 1st round than the Cowboys.

However, what makes the Cowboys stand out among the rest is that they have batted 1.000, a perfect score. That is to say, all four players have been Pro Bowl selections, three of them multiple times. Three of them have been 1st team All Pro.

I would say that bodes well for the Cowboys most recent 1st round draft pick, Tyler Guyton.

 

[diamonddelts]

Let's hope so. As much as I dislike Jerry, I will admit the The Cowboy's front office has done a great job on drafting O-lineman over the last 10 years. Two sure hall of famers drafted over the last decade. Would have had three if not for sickness.

 

[thunderpimp91]

By almost every metric OL picks early in the draft have the highest success rate. It’s the only position group picked in the first round that consistently sees over 50% of players getting second contracts with the team that drafted them. All pro and pro bowl rates are typically right up towards the top with first round OL picks. I think only RB is higher but that’s a position where you really only see elite level guys selected.

Take that info for whatever it’s worth. Some people will say it’s easy to find OL prospects so you shouldn’t use a first rounder on them for that reason. Other would say OL is a great target for a team like the cowboys picking towards the end of the first round consistently because they can hit on those picks pretty consistently and avoid the day one busts.

 

[Jipper]

I'm not surprised...OL positions represent nearly 25 percent of all positions on the team. Couple that with the fact that the 2nd most important position is OL (LT) and that the bust risk on OL is much less than other positions, and it makes sense.

It is good to see the cowboys are awesome at picking them however

 

[diamonddelts]

---

Some people will say it’s easy to find OL prospects

Tony Mandarich has entered the chat.

 

[thunderpimp91]

---

Tony Mandarich has entered the chat.

Yep I guess I’m wrong. A top prospect 30+ years ago was a bust so it’s dangerous to draft OL to this day.

 

[noshame]

Now how about a QB

 

[kskboys]

Let's hope so. As much as I dislike Jerry, I will admit the The Cowboy's front office has done a great job on drafting O-lineman over the last 10 years. Two sure hall of famers drafted over the last decade. Would have had three if not for sickness.

Only in the 1st. Which they have been forced to do since they've consistently wiffed in every other round.

 

[kskboys]

I'm not surprised...OL positions represent nearly 25 percent of all positions on the team. Couple that with the fact that the 2nd most important position is OL (LT) and that the bust risk on OL is much less than other positions, and it makes sense.

It is good to see the cowboys are awesome at picking them however

In the 1st round.

 

[Aven8]

Out of all the 1st round Olineman picked I have the least amount of confidence in Guyton succeeding. Even less than Tyler. Having said that who the heck knows? I remember Tyron was under 300 lbs and played a lot of RT at USC. That turned out okay!

 

[kskboys]

Out of all the 1st round Olineman picked I have the least amount of confidence in Guyton succeeding. Even less than Tyler. Having said that who the heck knows? I remember Tyron was under 300 lbs and played a lot of RT at USC. That turned out okay!

Tyron was a bit of a reach. Hey, sometimes reaches pan out.

Looking at everything about Guyton, I'd conclude that his bust possibility is exceedingly low. He could easily turn out to be the best OL in this draft.

 

[thunderpimp91]

Only in the 1st. Which they have been forced to do since they've consistently wiffed in every other round.

Not sure that you're wrong, but it probably comes back to what we are considering a whiff. Right or wrong I think the Cowboys front office would consider Williams, McGovern, Biadasz all successes. Guys you can get after the 1st round who give you a few years of starts and can net you a comp pick is pretty much the foundation of how this team has run the organization for the last decade.

 

[Aven8]

Tyron was a bit of a reach. Hey, sometimes reaches pan out.

Looking at everything about Guyton, I'd conclude that his bust possibility is exceedingly low. He could easily turn out to be the best OL in this draft.

The athleticism is off the charts, but the laziness scares me. I saw him on the ground a lot in the tape I watched.

 

[thunderpimp91]

Tyron was a bit of a reach. Hey, sometimes reaches pan out.

Looking at everything about Guyton, I'd conclude that his bust possibility is exceedingly low. He could easily turn out to be the best OL in this draft.

I agree with this. It's not my favorite pick in the draft, however he seems to be a high ceiling/high floor guy that I should be in love with as a late 1st rounder. I think he's athletic enough to be a leave average T worst case. I'm just not sure how realistic it is that he hits his ceiling.

 

[gtb1943]

This may come as a surprise to some but, since 2000, the Cowboys have drafted O-linemen in the 1st round at a rate that is equal to the average NFL team. The average NFL team drafted four O-linemen in the 1st round between 2000 and 2023. In fact, there are around a half dozen NFL teams that have drafted more O-linemen in the 1st round than the Cowboys.

However, what makes the Cowboys stand out among the rest is that they have batted 1.000, a perfect score. That is to say, all four players have been Pro Bowl selections, three of them multiple times. Three of them have been 1st team All Pro.

I would say that bodes well for the Cowboys most recent 1st round draft pick, Tyler Guyton.

Until Tyron in 2011, Jerry had never picked a OL in the first rd. LA and the Hotel were both second rd picks.
So it is 5 for us in 14 Drafts

 

[kskboys]

The athleticism is off the charts, but the laziness scares me. I saw him on the ground a lot in the tape I watched.

Lazy? I've heard nothing but the opposite.

 

[kskboys]

Not sure that you're wrong, but it probably comes back to what we are considering a whiff. Right or wrong I think the Cowboys front office would consider Williams, McGovern, Biadasz all successes. Guys you can get after the 1st round who give you a few years of starts and can net you a comp pick is pretty much the foundation of how this team has run the organization for the last decade.

I know, right? Sad.

 

[gtb1943]

Lazy? I've heard nothing but the opposite.

I have not heard anyone say that about Guyton

 

[MyFairLady]

Until Tyron in 2011, Jerry had never picked a OL in the first rd. LA and the Hotel were both second rd picks.
So it is 5 for us in 14 Drafts

Thank you for pointing this out. When someone skews the stats as badly as the OP it is clear that they have an agenda. What it tells me is that the front office has no true philosophy or core beliefs. They are like a dirty rag blowing in the wind.

 

[blueblood70]

By almost every metric OL picks early in the draft have the highest success rate. It’s the only position group picked in the first round that consistently sees over 50% of players getting second contracts with the team that drafted them. All pro and pro bowl rates are typically right up towards the top with first round OL picks. I think only RB is higher but that’s a position where you really only see elite level guys selected.

Take that info for whatever it’s worth. Some people will say it’s easy to find OL prospects so you shouldn’t use a first rounder on them for that reason. Other would say OL is a great target for a team like the cowboys picking towards the end of the first round consistently because they can hit on those picks pretty consistently and avoid the day one busts.

Well this is very true take into account lot of our picks are coming in the bottom ten of all rounds including the first where other teams are hitting on like the top tackles and whatnot it's always seems to be in the top 15 not the bottom 10 therefore they have a better shot the Cowboys are doing really well when they're picking these guys lower in the first round they're trading down and still getting their guys. I mean go count how many offensive lineman at those positions like this year how many tackles or offensive lineman went before in years past how many went before Tyler Smith who was really not on many people's radar at all so that's why it's more impressive...