tfydraft:NFL Draft/Pre-Combine Insider Report

[cowboyjoe]

http://www.draftinsider.net/blog/?p=4627
USC offensive tackle Tyron Smith, who played most of the 2010 campaign weighing 285-pounds, is up to 304lbs and hopes to tip the scales between 307-to-310lbs by the time he weighs in at the combine. Right now he’s projecting to complete 26-to30 reps on the bench, a solid number for a lineman with a 35-inch arm reach. The expectations are Smith will run a fast time in the forty at the combine and could breach the 4.80-second mark. This assumes he runs in Indianapolis. We can confirm that Smith hurt his knee late in the ‘10 season then had it scoped once the campaign ended. He then spent most of the month of January rehabbing the knee. Its’ not deemed serious but Smith may decide to wait for the USC pro-day, which is a month after the offensive lineman workout at the combine, to take part in the running and shuttles.

- We understand Adrian Clayborn of Iowa is also deciding whether or not he will run at the combine. Clayborn expects to tip the scales around 285-pounds, not much of a difference from the 280-to-289lbs which he fluctuated to and from during the season. We understand teams are likely to question a shoulder issue which is not deemed serious yet has plagued Clayborn since he was a kid.

 

[28 Joker]

Tyron Smith is tailored made for the Cowboys offensive line and what they need right now, and it couldn't be set up any better for the Cowboys to grab him at 9. It couldn't be set up any better for the Cowboys; a 20 year old potential franchise LT who can step in a start for the worst RT in the NFL, before supplanting Doug Free at LT. You should do what is best for your team. The Chiefs, Patriots, and Falcons don't care how other teams rate players. They make choices based on building their team. They build teams from the inside out.

This is the same draft site or source that quoted a Cowboys source on Smith. When a Cowboys source pretty much shoots down drafting Smith at 9 due to "wanting someone more ready to play", that concerns me if that is the fact.

Smith will be "ready to play", and replacing Mark Colombo (the worst RT in the NFL, imo) with a potential franchise LT in the waiting makes too much sense.

Dallas really better start catching up with the rest of the NFL when it comes to rating and drafting and playing offensive linemen. They are going to get left behind if they don't wake up. They are already under the gun. Other teams get these guys on the field during their rookie year or after a redshirt year or 2. The Cowboys wait 3 or 4 years, and that thinking is ancient in the new era of the NFL. They better wake up.

When you hear statements like that and look at the current and very poor state of the Cowboys offensive line, it makes you think. No wonder that line is in such terrible shape. Look at their own self evaluation and their evaluation of offensive linemen in the draft.

Hudson Houck is a USC guy, so that gives me some hope. Someone is going to have to over rule out some of the dummies at Valley Ranch. Garrett and Houck have to get this right. Surely this guy isn't going to be dismissed so easily. I want to think that it was smoke, but past offensive line failures and naive offensive line drafting and poor offensive line drafting make me a little concerned.

 

[fortdick]

Tyron Smith is tailored made for the Cowboys offensive line and what they need right now, and it couldn't be set up any better for the Cowboys to grab him at 9. It couldn't be set up any better for the Cowboys; a 20 year old potential franchise LT who can step in a start for the worst RT in the NFL, before supplanting Doug Free at LT. You should do what is best for your team. The Chiefs, Patriots, and Falcons don't care how other teams rate players. They make choices based on building their team. They build teams from the inside out.

This is the same draft site or source that quoted a Cowboys source on Smith. When a Cowboys source pretty much shoots down drafting Smith at 9 due to "wanting someone more ready to play", that concerns me if that is the fact.

Smith will be "ready to play", and replacing Mark Colombo (the worst RT in the NFL, imo) with a potential franchise LT in the waiting makes too much sense.

Dallas really better start catching up with the rest of the NFL when it comes to rating and drafting and playing offensive linemen. They are going to get left behind if they don't wake up. They are already under the gun. Other teams get these guys on the field during their rookie year or after a redshirt year or 2. The Cowboys wait 3 or 4 years, and that thinking is ancient in the new era of the NFL. They better wake up.

When you hear statements like that and look at the current and very poor state of the Cowboys offensive line, it makes you think. No wonder that line is in such terrible shape. Look at their own self evaluation and their evaluation of offensive linemen in the draft.

Hudson Houck is a USC guy, so that gives me some hope. Someone is going to have to over rule out some of the dummies at Valley Ranch. Garrett and Houck have to get this right. Surely this guy isn't going to be dismissed so easily. I want to think that it was smoke, but past offensive line failures and naive offensive line drafting and poor offensive line drafting make me a little concerned.

We get it, you want Smith at #9. Jerry is caving in right now.

 

[burmafrd]

Well he does have a point: we have been LOUSY with our O line evaluation. It seems that for several years now we have consistently under rated O line prospects. We have someone rated at 3-4 and they get taken at 2. And that apparently has happened multiple times. But nothing was done about it.

 

[fortdick]

Well he does have a point: we have been LOUSY with our O line evaluation. It seems that for several years now we have consistently under rated O line prospects. We have someone rated at 3-4 and they get taken at 2. And that apparently has happened multiple times. But nothing was done about it.

There are three to four tackles out there that are already prepared to compete for a job. Smith is two to three years away. Drinking protien shakes before the combine does not make him a 320 tackle. He needs a lot fo work to put on muscle, not just weight. Lotsa talent but not ready right away.

Could get that in the second or third.