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By Randy Galloway
IRVING -- All is good.
How could it be better for the Dallas Cowboys when their first-round draft pick Thursday night is a future Pro Bowler, and, pause, Hall of Famer?
Clarification:
After being the Cowboys' choice with the ninth pick overall, USC offensive tackle Tyron Smith was asked to project his Valley Ranch future. The kid, and he is only 20, didn't hesitate.
"Pro Bowler," he answered. Then after a pause, added, "Hall of Famer."
You don't say.
Less than extensive research says the last time the Cowboys drafted a Hall of Famer was Emmitt in 1990. Larry Allen (1994) is a decent bet to also make it, and in many years to come, we can consider DeMarcus Ware.
But when the Cowboys of the last 18 years are drafting, Hall of Famers are vastly outnumbered by Hall of Shamers.
Who does this Tyron Smith think he is? That answer came from down the hall at Valley Ranch.
"A great run blocker and a great pass protector," said offensive line coach Hudson Houck, who has been around the game so long he throws around the names of former pupils such as Ed Budde, who was drafted by the then-AFL Dallas Texans in 1963 and became one of the NFL's best O-linemen.
Uh, Hud. The kid is 20, and a rangy 6-5, 310 pounds, with 25 pounds of that added since the end of the college season. He came out a year early from USC. He's really green, man.
Hud, exactly when do you expect Tyron (pronounced Ty-run) to be a starter in an offensive line that needs immediate help?
"He's going to start," said Houck, meaning right now.
Right side? Left side?
"It could be either one," added Houck, indicating Doug Free, who was solid as a first-year starter on the left side could be going over to right. Or maybe not.
Picked as a top-10 offensive lineman, that would seem to indicate Smith would be groomed on the left side, but there's not a huge hurry, particularly since Tyron was the youngest player in the draft.
First things first: He needs to be a good player who can contribute immediately and improve as he goes along.
It's been 30 years since the Cowboys took an offensive lineman in the first round and, based on last season, only two Cow draft picks were starting up front. Recent history shows a lack of grooming O-linemen.
Smith had been projected in many mock drafts for the last three weeks as the Cowboys' choice at No. 9, but an offensive lineman also lacks the sizzle attempt usually associated with Jerry Jones in the draft.
Plus, speculation this week heavily centered on Jones having a plan to trade down and pick up either Tyron or an offensive or defensive lineman later in the draft.
The last thing anyone should want is Jerry getting cute with move-down moves in the draft room. This time, he didn't, although as the first eight picks went in lightning-like speed, things stalled with the Cowboys on the clock at No. 9.
Waiting behind stage in New York, Smith noticed the delay. He said he got the word just as time ran out.
Jerry sure seemed to be headed down the cuteness trade-down road, but couldn't find a tango partner. Right, Mr. Jones?
"We looked at possible trades, we got calls," he answered. "But we said all along it would take a blockbuster to take us out. What the offers were wasn't worth possibly losing this player."
Spin-wise, that says Jerry was listening to offers, not making offers to move down. On draft night, anything is possible, even the truth. And in the end, your pick is always exactly the pick you absolutely had to have.
Bottom line, the Cowboys drafted for need, and took, by Houck's estimation, the best offensive lineman in this draft.
"This guy was much better than the others I looked at," said Houck.
Not fancy, but also not cute, and no one can say a good offensive lineman wouldn't be handy around Valley Ranch.
Canton, make room for Tyron Smith.
IRVING -- All is good.
How could it be better for the Dallas Cowboys when their first-round draft pick Thursday night is a future Pro Bowler, and, pause, Hall of Famer?
Clarification:
After being the Cowboys' choice with the ninth pick overall, USC offensive tackle Tyron Smith was asked to project his Valley Ranch future. The kid, and he is only 20, didn't hesitate.
"Pro Bowler," he answered. Then after a pause, added, "Hall of Famer."
You don't say.
Less than extensive research says the last time the Cowboys drafted a Hall of Famer was Emmitt in 1990. Larry Allen (1994) is a decent bet to also make it, and in many years to come, we can consider DeMarcus Ware.
But when the Cowboys of the last 18 years are drafting, Hall of Famers are vastly outnumbered by Hall of Shamers.
Who does this Tyron Smith think he is? That answer came from down the hall at Valley Ranch.
"A great run blocker and a great pass protector," said offensive line coach Hudson Houck, who has been around the game so long he throws around the names of former pupils such as Ed Budde, who was drafted by the then-AFL Dallas Texans in 1963 and became one of the NFL's best O-linemen.
Uh, Hud. The kid is 20, and a rangy 6-5, 310 pounds, with 25 pounds of that added since the end of the college season. He came out a year early from USC. He's really green, man.
Hud, exactly when do you expect Tyron (pronounced Ty-run) to be a starter in an offensive line that needs immediate help?
"He's going to start," said Houck, meaning right now.
Right side? Left side?
"It could be either one," added Houck, indicating Doug Free, who was solid as a first-year starter on the left side could be going over to right. Or maybe not.
Picked as a top-10 offensive lineman, that would seem to indicate Smith would be groomed on the left side, but there's not a huge hurry, particularly since Tyron was the youngest player in the draft.
First things first: He needs to be a good player who can contribute immediately and improve as he goes along.
It's been 30 years since the Cowboys took an offensive lineman in the first round and, based on last season, only two Cow draft picks were starting up front. Recent history shows a lack of grooming O-linemen.
Smith had been projected in many mock drafts for the last three weeks as the Cowboys' choice at No. 9, but an offensive lineman also lacks the sizzle attempt usually associated with Jerry Jones in the draft.
Plus, speculation this week heavily centered on Jones having a plan to trade down and pick up either Tyron or an offensive or defensive lineman later in the draft.
The last thing anyone should want is Jerry getting cute with move-down moves in the draft room. This time, he didn't, although as the first eight picks went in lightning-like speed, things stalled with the Cowboys on the clock at No. 9.
Waiting behind stage in New York, Smith noticed the delay. He said he got the word just as time ran out.
Jerry sure seemed to be headed down the cuteness trade-down road, but couldn't find a tango partner. Right, Mr. Jones?
"We looked at possible trades, we got calls," he answered. "But we said all along it would take a blockbuster to take us out. What the offers were wasn't worth possibly losing this player."
Spin-wise, that says Jerry was listening to offers, not making offers to move down. On draft night, anything is possible, even the truth. And in the end, your pick is always exactly the pick you absolutely had to have.
Bottom line, the Cowboys drafted for need, and took, by Houck's estimation, the best offensive lineman in this draft.
"This guy was much better than the others I looked at," said Houck.
Not fancy, but also not cute, and no one can say a good offensive lineman wouldn't be handy around Valley Ranch.
Canton, make room for Tyron Smith.