Sell me on: Tyler Smith, OT Tulsa

[darthseinfeld]

This weeks offensive player is Tyler Smith

Sell me on why the Cowboys should consider this player

 

[xwalker]

This weeks offensive player is Tyler Smith

Sell me on why the Cowboys should consider this player

Pro:
Pure physical ability: Near the top of the OTs in this draft.
Excellent option at OG with terrific power.
Reportedly very intelligent.
Only 20 years old,
Awareness appears good despite lack of technique.

Con:
Technique is almost non-existent.
Might not be an option to play as a rookie due to lack of technique.
Smallish college and OL coach reported very young also.

Question:
Is the lack of technique just because he didn't really need it against college defenders or will he struggle to become a decent technician?

Summary:
Could be a steal even in at #24 but would be a big risk in the 1st and might need a year to develop technique.

Cowboys:
Tyler Smith is as position flex as any OL in this draft.
Others might have played more positions, but he has the physical ability to project to any position including LT.

NFL Upside Comparison
Jason Peters

 

[Cowboyny]

I like Tyler Smith, but more so in rd 2. He has the natural physical gifts you cannot teach. Could potentially become the air apparent to Tyron Smith. A legitimate candidate to start inside and kick to Tackle later on. However, he needs a complete overhaul of his technique and is a penalty machine.

 

[beware_d-ware]

My sell is on Smith's upside.

OT is more of an athletic minimum position than an "elite measurables required" position. Smith checks all those, so that's good.

The big plus is that he's 20yo redshirt sophomore from Tulsa. The Tulsa staff isn't grooming 5 star recruits into pro tackles year after year, so you're not getting a finished product. You're drafting some college-aged, 5 star caliber raw material and having your OL coaches mold him themselves. In a year or two, he could be a much better player for you than he was in college.

I actually like him much more at guard than I do at tackle. At LT, his balance is poor and his hand technique is all kinds of terrible. At LG, his Hulk-smash kind of approach would play better.

 

[fivetwos]

Pro:
Pure physical ability: Near the top of the OTs in this draft.
Excellent option at OG with terrific power.
Reportedly very intelligent.
Only 20 years old,
Awareness appears good despite lack of technique.

Con:
Technique is almost non-existent.
Might not be an option to play as a rookie due to lack of technique.
Smallish college and OL coach reported very young also.

Question:
Is the lack of technique just because he didn't really need it against college defenders or will he struggle to become a decent technician?

Summary:
Could be a steal even in at #24 but would be a big risk in the 1st and might need a year to develop technique.

Cowboys:
Tyler Smith is as position flex as any OL in this draft.
Others might have played more positions, but he has the physical ability to project to any position including LT.

NFL Upside Comparison
Jason Peters

Wow.....if he may not be able to play year one I'm not sure how this guy is in the first round conversation.

Could swear I've seen him mocked there once or twice.

 

[garyv]

I like Tyler Smith, but more so in rd 2. He has the natural physical gifts you cannot teach. Could potentially become the air apparent to Tyron Smith. A legitimate candidate to start inside and kick to Tackle later on. However, he needs a complete overhaul of his technique and is a penalty machine.

Who do you like better if you could pick 1 at #24:

Tyler Smith
Zion Johnson
Kenyon Green

 

[The Realist]

16 penalties in 2021. 12 holding penalties. Hard pass.

 

[RS12]

Probably at least a 50% chance to bust. I d be real interested in round 3.

 

[Cowboyny]

Who do you like better if you could pick 1 at #24:

Tyler Smith
Zion Johnson
Kenyon Green

Green, Zion, Smith in that order. Weeks ago I wrote a post about Smith at 56, but at 24 seems very risky due to his development needed.

 

[The Realist]

My fear is this the guy they lock in at 24 weeks in advance because of high SPARQ score and ability to play LG early and then move to RT.

 

[xwalker]

Wow.....if he may not be able to play year one I'm not sure how this guy is in the first round conversation.

Could swear I've seen him mocked there once or twice.

They were not certain that Larry Allen would play as a rookie due to needing shoulder surgery.
- 32 teams passing on drafting him in the 1st...

 

[fivetwos]

They were not certain that Larry Allen would play as a rookie due to needing shoulder surgery.
- 32 teams passing on drafting him in the 1st...

Oh it's an injury thing? I misread it if so.

You'd still figure a team using a 1st on an OL wants an immediate starter.

 

[xwalker]

Green, Zion, Smith in that order. Weeks ago I wrote a post about Smith at 56, but at 24 seems very risky due to his development needed.

Smith is one of those players where the interview and checking with college coaches is critical.
- It is the area where we as fans have the least insight.

If he is a knucklehead like La'el, then his technique issues are unlikely to get better.

If he is just a young player but has the mindset to 'take coaching' like Tyron Smith was coming out of college, then he might not be a reach at #24.

The draft media questioned why Tyron only played RT in college.
- I thought his physical ability was just too good for any chance of failure.
- It turned out that he also had the perfect mindset to develop into an elite LT.

 

[xwalker]

Oh it's an injury thing? I misread it if so.

You'd still figure a team using a 1st on an OL wants an immediate starter.

No, Tyler Smith is not injured.
- My point is that Green/Zion are higher probabilities of being day 1 starters but Smith has higher upside.
- Personally I think he would start as a rookie, but it has to be a consideration that he might not be ready by game 1.

 

[Cowboyny]

Smith is one of those players where the interview and checking with college coaches is critical.
- It is the area where we as fans have the least insight.

If he is a knucklehead like La'el, then his technique issues are unlikely to get better.

If he is just a young player but has the mindset to 'take coaching' like Tyron Smith was coming out of college, then he might not be a reach at #24.

The draft media questioned why Tyron only played RT in college.
- I thought his physical ability was just too good for any chance of failure.
- It turned out that he also had the perfect mindset to develop into an elite LT.

I remember Tyron's footwork was a mess in camp and clearly improved once the regular season started, he clearly had the so called want to. We just don't know Smith's mental makeup. What we do know he is a ball of clay with all the natural physical traits required. Question is, do they draft for upside or take the highest floor with their 1st rd selection?

Do you think with an offseason, he can start at Guard day 1?

 

[Teague31]

At 56? Sure.

 

[BAT]

Who do you like better if you could pick 1 at #24:

Tyler Smith
Zion Johnson
Kenyon Green

Need day 1 starter then draft Zion.

But I'd trade down, add a pick in 2nd, trade down again add pick in 3rd, THEN draft Tyler Smith, even if have to move down to top of 2nd.

Smith will be better LG than both Zion and Kenyon.

And has the upside to move to OT.

His combination of nastiness, size and athleticism are worth taking a chance on imo.

 

[xwalker]

I remember Tyron's footwork was a mess in camp and clearly improved once the regular season started, he clearly had the so called want to. We just don't know Smith's mental makeup. What we do know he is a ball of clay with all the natural physical traits required. Question is, do they draft for upside or take the highest floor with their 1st rd selection?

Do you think with an offseason, he can start at Guard day 1?

It all depends on his mental makeup.

McGovern still doesn't get it. McGovern has the physical ability but just has late reactions.

 

[Cowboyny]

It all depends on his mental makeup.

McGovern still doesn't get it. McGovern has the physical ability but just has late reactions.

It's the floor vs the upside argument. If the scouts determine he coachable and a willing worker, might be worth the pick, especially if they view him as the future LT starter.

 

[baltcowboy]

Pro:
Pure physical ability: Near the top of the OTs in this draft.
Excellent option at OG with terrific power.
Reportedly very intelligent.
Only 20 years old,
Awareness appears good despite lack of technique.

Con:
Technique is almost non-existent.
Might not be an option to play as a rookie due to lack of technique.
Smallish college and OL coach reported very young also.

Question:
Is the lack of technique just because he didn't really need it against college defenders or will he struggle to become a decent technician?

Summary:
Could be a steal even in at #24 but would be a big risk in the 1st and might need a year to develop technique.

Cowboys:
Tyler Smith is as position flex as any OL in this draft.
Others might have played more positions, but he has the physical ability to project to any position including LT.

NFL Upside Comparison
Jason Peters

Is he nasty? If so the Cowboys might have him rated over Green/Johnson. I want to compare him to a certain guard/tackle that the Cowboys drafted in the 90s but I don’t want to be banned from draft zone.