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Thomas U sent me over his rationale behind picking Tyron Smith for the Dallas Cowboys. Read it under the jump.
With the 9th pick in the Draft, the Cowboys select OT Tyron Smith. Many draft experts weighed in on Smith and some have come to the conclusion that he may be a a work in progress, but after watching some footage and reading other news about him, perhaps the best person to compare him to that we all know is the one and only, D-Brick. Smith, just like Brick was a highly touted lineman, with the ability and talent to be the top OL pick in the draft. As we all know, Brick's career probably didn't start off as we all hoped, but he is currently one of the best tackles in the NFL, mainly due to his highly athletic frame and high flexibility. Smith is known for these same attributes and probably will need at least a year to mold into the lineman everyone is predicting him to be. While some question his entering the draft instead of returning for another year to USC, Smith can be and will be a great project for a team so desperate for OL help, such as a the Cowboys. The Alex Barron Experiment was a huge failure(as evidenced by the terrible loss to the Redskins in 2010), and the Cowboys need a stable OL unit to further success of their powerful offensive weapons in Tony Romo and Felix Jones. His success would especially be key to the further development of Felix Jones, a speedster that can split defenses and requires a moving, athletic line. Perhaps another solid choice would be the Pouncey brother, but being rated lower then his brother and not as athletic does not help the Cowboys make a decision in his favor.While the Cowboys may have other needs as well to fill from the draft, such as safety, cornerback and defensive end, grabbing Tyron Smith as lineman of the future is a high priority, especially with such a offensive minded coach as Jason Garrett.