FRISCO, Texas — We’re on the eve of the 2024 NFL Draft, which means all 32 teams in the league are certainly finalizing the process of finalizing their draft brackets if they haven’t already.
In the case of the Dallas Cowboys, one thing is clear: They are targeting an offensive lineman after losing eight-time Pro Bowl left tackle Tyron Smith (New York Jets) and Pro Bowl center Tyler Biadasz (Commanders). Washington) in free agency.
“I think in general, if you look at the attrition, if you talk about where it hits us the hardest, it’s the guys that we lost on the offensive line,” the GM said Tuesday. Cowboys operations and executive vice president Stephen Jones.
The first round of the 2024 draft could potentially see nine or ten offensive linemen go off the board Thursday night, so there should be one or two players up for grabs that Dallas could select with the 24th overall pick. Incumbent left guard Tyler Smith, who played left tackle in college at Tulsa but has started at left guard since being picked in the first round in 2022 thanks to Tyron Smith, just earned his first nod to the Pro Bowl in 2023. How the Cowboys ultimately view him at left tackle versus the quality of left offensive tackles will factor heavily into their choice.
Smith feels comfortable as left guard after Pro Bowl nod, but he’s ready to move to left tackle. This versatility will allow the Cowboys to take the “best player available” route since they are indeed comfortable moving him to left tackle if they need to.
The Cowboys have only traded up twice in the first round since 2010, and the last time they did so in 2021 was when they acquired an additional third-round pick from the Philadelphia Eagles to move down two spots from the 10th pick in the 12th. overall choice. The Eagles selected wide receiver DeVonta Smith on a three-year, $75 million extension this offseason. Dallas selected three-time All-Pro edge rusher Micah Parsons with the 12th pick, something Jerry may have overlooked when he was asked about moving back up or out of the first round on Thursday.
“Well, I will say this. It’s very likely that we will have an opportunity to do that,” Jerry said when asked about the price drop. “Given the good people staying on the board, or the bad people leaving the board, and the good exchange, and what time of day it is and if I’m in the room, I’m joking now. Really , there’s There’s a lot of variables here as to whether you would move up or down I’m not trying to be cute there Obviously we’d like to have mid-round choices. , Micah Parsons could be sitting there with this choice. Now do you want to make any other choices or do you want a name?
With all of that in mind, here are five players who could be on Dallas’ radar to improve its offensive line on Thursday night. These rankings are based on players Dallas could target that might actually be available to the Cowboys at pick 24.
5. Oregon OL Jackson Powers-Johnson
- Tyler Smith’s position if drafted: left tackle
- Height: 6-3 | Weight: 328 pounds
- Notable accolades/statistics: Allowed zero sacks and four quarterback pressures on 714 career pass-blocking snaps, 2023 All-Pac-12 first team
Jackson Powers-Johnson could be a day one NFL starter at center or guard, but his ideal position is center. His play at the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama, was one of the highlights of this week as he easily knocked other high-quality classmates to the ground. Once he drops anchor, it’s hard to get around him as a pass blocker.
In the running game, he’s a freight train, unyielding to anyone in his path, even on the second level of defense. However, Powers-Johnson can sometimes be too aggressive as a run blocker and get off balance. In the passing game, his turn in his passing game can be inconsistent. Overall, his technique can be improved with regular reps in the NFL, and Powers-Johnson could develop into a solid interior offensive line starter.
4. Oklahoma OT Tyler Guyton
- Tyler Smith’s position if drafted: left guard
- Height: 6-8 | Weight: 322 pounds
- Notable accolades/statistics: Zero sacks allowed on 335 pass blocking snaps in 2023
Tyler Guyton has the tools to become a solid offensive tackle, left or right – 13 of his 15 college starts came at right tackle – but it might take him a little time to develop considering of his inexperience. Guyton has fantastic size and strength, and his balance is consistent when leaning and reacting to defensive linemen.
His best strength is his hand fighting where he punches like a boxer to strike and counter incoming passes. However, his accuracy with his hand punches should improve, and he could play with better leverage by not standing too upright. His running game work would also improve with a better center of gravity. Guyton could be worth the first-round investment, but patience will be required.
3. Georgia OT Amarius Mims
- Tyler Smith’s position if drafted: left guard
- Height: 6-8 | Weight: 340 pounds
- Notable accolades/statistics: Two-time CFP national champion (2022 starter vs. TCU), zero sacks allowed in 377 snap pass blocks
Amarius Mims is a giant among giants, but his 340 kilos are well distributed, which allows him to stay balanced. His arm length (36 1/8″) and wingspan (86 3/4″) are phenomenal. His footwork and handwork are in sync. Mims is also mobile enough to climb to the second level when run blocking, and he can move with enough agility to work in an outside zone running scheme.
His problem is experience (eight starts in 30 career college games), but he has experience in the biggest games thanks to his back-to-back appearance on Georgia’s national championship teams. Mims’ running game could use some work, but pass blocking comes naturally to him. He could become a top left tackle for the Cowboys in the near future.
2. Duke OL Graham Barton
- Tyler Smith’s position if drafted: left tackle
- Height: 6-5 | Weight: 313 pounds
- Notable accolades/statistics: 2023 Second Team All-American, two-time First Team All-ACC (2022-23)
Graham Barton played left tackle at Duke in college, but he will be an interior lineman in the NFL, either as a guard or center. The reasons for this are due to a shorter arm length (32 7/8″), and he may struggle with faster, quicker edge rushers. However, Barton possesses solid technique, allowing him to get leverage in the running game in tandem with Fluid Hips He is light in the passing game, allowing him to quickly adapt to passes coming from different angles.
Barton is the best interior offensive line option the Cowboys could have.
1. Alabama OTJC Latham
- Tyler Smith’s position if drafted: left guard
- Height: 6-6 | Weight: 342 pounds
- Notable accolades/statistics: Three sacks allowed in 970 career pass blocking snaps
Some of the offensive linemen on this list have a lack of experience. That’s not the case for JC Latham, who has started every game at right tackle for the Crimson Tide over the past two seasons. He was also incredibly productive in 2023, earning second-team All-American and first-team All-SEC honors.
Latham is built like a sumo wrestler, and he is adept at redirecting passers with his inside hand while brushing them aside with his outside hand. He is not someone who can be easily overpowered by a bull rush. Latham is already a high-level run blocker, but some of his work in the passing game could be better. He overreacts at times, causing him to move around when he falls back into his passing game.
Latham could play tackle or guard, and the Cowboys would have to spend time training him to move him to left tackle, but between his experience and build, he has the potential to be a starter as as a rookie.