Dallas Cowboys rookie offensive lineman Tyler Smith is already turning heads along with his new staff — and drawing comparisons to the most effective guards in NFL historical past.
Cowboys proprietor Jerry Jones mentioned he sees some similarities between Smith, the twenty fourth total decide within the 2022 NFL Draft out of Tulsa, and NFL legend Larry Allen, one of many bodily strongest gamers to ever grace the sphere.
"Not as a participant, I’m not saying that, however [Smith] is robust. We're happy," Jones mentioned.
"[Smith] has an incredible ceiling,'' coach Mike McCarthy added.
The 6-5, 324-pound Smith was Dallas' solely first-round choice this 12 months. In 2020, he began at left sort out for the Golden Hurricanes and allowed zero sacks in 9 video games. In 2021, Smith began 12 video games and earned All-Convention second-team honors.
Smith is poised to begin at left guard this season, however his versatility permits him to play any place on the road, that means he might step in because the swing sort out behind eight-time Professional Bowler Tyron Smith.
Allen, who famously as soon as recorded a 705-pound bench press and a 905-pound squat, was a second-round decide within the 1994 NFL Draft on account of his small-school background (he went to NCAA Division II school Sonoma State College within the California Collegiate Athletic Affiliation.) Allen went on to be chosen by Dallas at No. 46 total, which at the moment marked the best offensive lineman decide by the Cowboys since 1981. It additionally marked the primary time a participant from SSU had ever been drafted.
Allen earned a franchise-record 10 Professional Bowl choices, in addition to a Tremendous Bowl title in his twelve seasons (1994-2005) with the Cowboys earlier than enjoying his ultimate two seasons (2006-07) with the San Francisco 49ers, the place he acquired his eleventh Professional Bowl choice. In 2013, he was inducted to the Professional Soccer Corridor of Fame.
Smith, who was 6 when Allen retired and 12 when he was inducted into the HOF, will put on No. 73 — the identical as Allen.
"I’m a youthful man, so Larry Allen is earlier than my time, however I caught on (to how good Allen was)," Smith mentioned. "Larry Allen wore that quantity, and I’ve seen lots of the adversity he went via early in his life, and I really feel like I resonate with lots of that. It means loads to have the ability to put on that and keep on that legacy."
