Finding Broncos: Tyler Smith | OT | Tulsa

Finding Broncos scouts the 2022 NFL Draft class, this time for a small school offensive lineman.

Measurements

• Height: 6-foot-5
• Weight: 324 pounds
• Arms: 34 inches
• Hands: 10-3/4 inches

Combine Results

• 40-Yard Dash: 5.02 seconds
• Vertical Jump: 27.5 inches
• Broad Jump: 105 inches
• 3-Cone Drill: 7.78
• 20-Yard Shuttle: 4.65

Pros

• Has the size and build teams want in an offensive lineman. 
• Essentially a big ball of clay that must be smoothed out and shaped. 
• Has enormous hands with plenty of power to hold on to, leading to many holding penalties. 
• Solid enough athleticism to keep him scheme versatile. 
• Has good positional versatility to play guard or tackle though he seems to fit best inside. 
• Does well to control the momentum and direction of defenders. 
• Fires out of his stance with solid quickness but will need to be a little faster consistently for the NFL. 
• Has good flexibility, which helps with his anchor that has plenty of power to drop his butt and stall. 
• Lateral agility is good enough for the NFL. 
• Aggressive as a blocker and works to finish blocks by putting them on the ground. 
• Overall strength and power show up consistently when driving defenders. 
• Has things to work on for any scheme and position, but he has enough to be scheme and position versatile. 

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Cons

• Extremely raw with his technique, and while he can start right away, it isn't going to be the prettiest. 
• Technique in pass protection is full of inconsistencies. 
• Has issues with defenders crossing his face to shoot gaps, which led to many tackles for a loss being made. 
• Significant concerns about the penalties in college. 
• Blocking base needs wholly redone. 
• Has to play with balance and be less chaotic with his movements. 
• Lower and upper body are disconnected when working as a blocker. 
• A bit tight in the lower body, which could be helped by improving the overall technique, especially the footwork. 

Overview

Tyler Smith is an interesting tackle prospect because he can also move inside and provide value. However, with the penalties and the technique being a mess, he'll be a project for NFL teams, making him a boom or bust prospect because you have to tear down his technique and start fresh. 

You don't want to start Smith too early — otherwise, it could reinforce those bad habits — but you also don't want to sit him for too long. Whichever team lands him will have to find that perfect midway point on when to get him out there on the field. There is good versatility with Smith, and teams will love that. 

Fit with Broncos

Smith could work for the Broncos if they have a starter set at right tackle for the year. Smith shouldn't be given a starting job right away, so having that starter would allow the coaching staff the needed time to clean up his technique and get him ready to be a starter. Outside of that, he's a solid fit for the Broncos. 

While Smith may be better suited for a different scheme, there are enough movement skills with him to be effective. There is also the versatility to kick inside to guard if he needs to or fails at tackle. Denver's coaching staff is focused on the teaching aspect, so Smith being a project shouldn't scare the team off. 

The question will be whether the Broncos even like Smith, and if so, how much do they want him? As things stand, it sounds like he could crack the top-50, which would mean Denver would have to trade up to get him. On the other hand, the Broncos want another tackle and are rumored to be looking that way early in the draft, so maybe Smith is an option. 

Grade: Mid-to-Late Round 2

Where he Goes: Mid-to-Late Round 2

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