Tyler Smith - Give us your scout report

[Pass2Run]

Here's my official scouting report on Tyler Smith.

Tyler Smith isn't a bully, he plays like an absolute frigging jerk!

I don't think there was really a better player on the board. The whole knock on Smith is the fact he's from a small school, and didn't face enough competition to fairly judge his abilities on. But the fact is, this guy isn't just good. He's dominant. He's a player that gives you legitimate position flex in the NFL. A growing trend in the NFL is to employ an offensive line that allows you to take less offensive line guys to the game, so you can bring extra pass rushers, different defensive back sets, etc. So, if a starter gets hurt in a pinch, Smith has the ability to move around to LT, LG, and RT, it seems. I can't imagine why he couldn't play RG in a pinch.

For a tackle, his RAS isn't that impressive. But that's mostly due to his height, which is 6'3''.

However, as a guard, he grades out with an RAS of over 9.6, I want to say, which is high.

He's only 20 years old, so he's a little bit raw. However, it's naive to expect him not to be, at 20. But he has the physical traits to have a career with multiple pro bowls.

Given his intelligence level, one can easily assume he'll take well to coaching, since coaching is like teaching and his teachers have obviously done a good job in his life.

Physically comparable to some of the strongest NFL linemen of all time. Possesses more than adequate strength and quickness.

Natural position is guard. But at either role, guard or tackle, Smith's proverbial bully style brings the pain. His hands are heavy, even by NFL measures, and has the raw tools to overpower top defensive linemen in the NFL. Some of his technique criticism is a bit exaggerated by most fans, but there are aspects of his game that could use refining. That's to be expected for a 20-year-old. This will be one of those picks looking back where those who opposed it have sudden amnesia. He will also make future opponents want to forget playing him, because it will be truly painful for them. And NFL fans will soon forget they ever doubted him, and he'll make Cowboys fans want to forget they ever doubted him.

Excels at run blocking and the addition of Smith should be helpful to the entire offense, but especially Zeke Elliot. If the Cowboys want to carry the torch of being King Ground and Pound in the NFL, then there was no other pick than Tyler Smith. He will likely be a Cowboy for some time to come, and I can see him retiring 10-15 years from now as a Cowboy as an All-Pro player, who even has HOF potential.

Your prototypical NFL bully ball LG, people who criticize his technique conveniently omit the fact he actually grades out as winning 95% of his snaps played. With strength alone.

With a little coaching, his level of play will only improve to another level that others are unable to reach due to physical limitations.

Don't sleep on this guy. He still has his own story to write. And I look forward to seeing him prove his doubters wrong.

 

[Scotman]

First of all, thank you for the reasoned, courteous rebuttal. Not that common on this site.

To me it's fairly simple - if you're drafting for need, which obviously the Cowboys did, your first round pick should be an immediate or near immediate starter.
This guy is far too raw, has too many for-an-offensive-lineman problems and needs too much coaching to be that. I agree he will contribute immediately, if for no other reasons than he's going to get better mainly by playing and the Cowboys are short on o-line players.

But he won't be a starter (or shouldn't be) and a no. 24 overall pick should be more than a "contributor"...

I hope I'm right and he steps right in. Not because I need to be "right." I just hope that I am.

25 + years of being...well...this.

 

[Outlaw Heroes]

My Thoughts:

• Great, size, length, power
• Plus run blocking power if he doesn't lose balance (which happens too often)
• Can be beat in the hand fight and needs to get better at getting his hands inside
• Bad kick slide, and poor punch. He could develop into a OT in future years but he should start competing up against McGovern.

I think I like him a bit more than others I've been hearing. He had plenty of holding penalties but IMO so many of those relate to bad technique against speed rushers and footwork on his kick slide. If he's kicked inside to guard those aren't the same issue. The best guy on my board was Linderbaum and he's good at everything Smith isn't while lacking everything that makes Smith a good pick.

"Plus" run blocking power seems a bit uncharitable. It is elite. If there's one thing he can be expected to do, it's create vertical push in the run game.

His movement is elite for a guard and probably for a tackle too. His kick step and hand usage is atrocious, as you suggest.

 

[RandyOh]

What do us fans really know?

One the smartest things said since the pick last night.

 

[BAT]

 

[BAT]

 

[xwalker]

The guy Smith reminds me of is Alex Leatherwood. Plenty of power and all the straight-line athleticism in the world, but poor change-of-direction and balance killed him last year.

And it was easy to see too. Whenever a speed rusher hit Leatherwood with the fastball, he'd bail and lunge at them, and right there he's dead. There's a dozen different ways for an NFL end to dispose of a flailing, off-balance tackle after that. Smith does the exact same thing... when he gets hit with speed, he doesn't stay seated in his chair and mirror them. He lunges and grabs, and that will be a fatal flaw.

He's excellent at run-blocking. His special sauce is just Hulk-smashing dudes in a phone booth, but he also pulls far better than most power guards with his build. I think that part of his game easily translates at both guard and tackle. He's an NFL-ready run blocker even at 20 years old.

But I don't think his pass pro issues go away at guard. Even if he's hidden against outside speed, he still has terrible hands and still grabs when guys start to get past him. Slippery 3 techs are going to abuse him.

I get why Smith declared for the draft. He's physically ready for the NFL even as a redshirt sophomore, but he really needs some good coaching on his technique, and he wasn't going to find it with another year at Tulsa.

That being said, I think his problems with holding go deeper than just bad technique. He's just kind of a straight-linish power athlete, and that's getting out of place in a speed-and-space oriented league. He played nose tackle for most of his football career and I think he fits better there... just go freaking Hulk-smash on every snap and be a load at the LoS.

Tyler Smith's lateral agility is as good as I've seen from a 320+ pound player.

 

[CowboyoWales]

Yes, Philbin made Steele into a a good player. He was very raw coming out of college.

FYI, Tyler Smith was my favorite player in this entire draft.

The others were Zion, Travis Jones and Jameson Williams.

Penning and Raiman are also incredibly raw. If a team is going to draft a raw OL, then might as well take the highest upside player.

Physically, Tyler Smith makes Raimann look like a middle school kid.

I'm man enough to confess that I was probably wrong and i'm coming around on the Smith pick.

I was always in favor of the trenches and think my adverse reaction was, in part, fuelled by disappointment we didnt get Zion or Kenyon. Now that footballing mastermind (Jerry) couldnt resist showing us how smart he is by showing the FO board and proving that we had Smith over both those Guards I feel a lot better that we didnt get 'wiped out' and took Smith as we were forced to take the position (another Taco).

Also hearing that the Titans would of taken him at 26, makes it understandable why the War Room looked so relaxed and happy at their decision....as I suppose for them (and it's them that counts, not us fans) it was a no-brainer to take Smith in the 1st, regardless of the media/fans opinions.

What I feared was that we were taking a shot at a high ceiling, low floor 1st Rd that's a 'Tweener T/G project.....Im not going to pretend I know much (some may say, just stay there) about o-line play, but on tape some of the technical (hand) concerns look to be created due to an over eagerness and selling out in space. A year at Guard where he can learn (next to Tyron) about his hands and footwork in a more confined and less obvious environment may be a benefit and if nothing else his size and aggression will potentially see him flourish.

Watching his tape I think his floor is as a NFL Guard (and if he doesnt transfer to LT)....that's still a win. Actually, listening to him, he sounds a bright kid and I wouldnt have any concerns that he'll learn, which bodes well for an eventual move to Tackle. Being local and a Cowboys fan is just the cherry.

Also from a team perspective I can see his physicality (at Guard) helping Biadasz and I dont know why I went against my usual mantra that whilst the Trenches is a lot about aggression and mano a mano, it's also about scheming out those weaknesses as a unit and distributing that bulk....it's great to have a technician (like Connor) but sometimes you need the bulk that helps out the guy next to you when times get hard.

My last lesson, dont overreact to initial 'NAMES' in the draft and listen to you draft guru's (and @Cowboyny @BAT , @DanA ) and take in every bit of info before making an opinion.