Cowboys Tyler Smith 'Off the Charts’ - But What Position?

Jon Machota, who covers the Dallas Cowboys for The Athletic, believes offensive tackle Tyler Smith will be a key piece of the offense for years to come

At the 2022 NFL Draft, the Dallas Cowboys turned some heads when they selected offensive tackle Tyler Smith at No. 24 overall.

So far, though, that pick seems to be working out quite well for them. Smith started all 17 games in his rookie season and performed quite well, earning a 71.4 grade from Pro Football Focus. With fellow offensive tackle Tyron Smith (no relation), missing much of the season with injury, the Cowboys were counting on Tyler Smith to step in right away, and he did so admirably.

Tyler Smith set a high bar for himself in his rookie season, and that may be just a taste of what's to come. Jon Machota, who covers the Cowboys for The Athletic, heaped praise onto the second-year lineman, stating he will be a key part of the offense for years to come.

“Behind the scenes with him it’s so crazy they got him because he’s just off the charts," Machota told Blogging the Boys on a recent podcast. "Honestly they got lucky I feel like getting Tyler Smith because he is going to be here a long time.”  

Tyler Smith is a physical specimen at 6-6 and 332 pounds, and his large frame allows him to bully smaller pass rushers. The fact that he can play both tackle and guard is another huge plus, and he can take the reins from Tyron Smith once the 32-year-old inevitably retires.

For now? There is talk of him at left tackle, though our Mike Fisher has often detailed the sense of leaving Tyron at left tackle with Tyler at guard for one more season.

While he had a very strong debut, Tyler Smith still has some aspects of his game he can work on. He took 13 penalties last season, tied for the most among NFL tackles, and allowed six sacks. However, those issues are fixable with more coaching and experience.

With a strong rookie season and room for improvement, Tyler Smith figures to be a future cornerstone for the Cowboys' offense. 

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 You can find Jonathan Alfano on Twitter @JonAlfano_News

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