Cowboys forward Tyler Smith named to PFWA All-Rookie Team

DALLAS. There were concerns about the Dallas Cowboys’ 2022 first-round pick, but Tyler Smith may have helped win the argument early.

America’s professional football writers announced their annual rookie team Tuesday, and there was room for the Cowboys’ all-around offensive lineman from Tulsa. Originally called to play left back, Smith was kicked out to left tackle when All-Pro Tyrone Smith suffered a torn hamstring late in training camp. Dallas didn’t look back when the younger Smith started all 17 games, most often resorting to a left tackle.

When the older Smith did return in Week 15, the Cowboys moved the veteran to right tackle to replace the injured Terence Steele, rather than hinder the progress the former North Crowley high school product was making in left tackle.

“That was very important to me,” Smith said Jan. 17. “It just showed how much they trust me as a player in the organization. It meant a lot. honour. Nothing is guaranteed at this level. It is very important to me that they trust me with something like this.”

Cowboys Executive Vice President Stephen Jones told “GBag Nation” on 105.3 “The Fan”. [KRLD-FM] On January 20, he thought Smith’s versatility had been overlooked throughout the Cowboys’ 12-5 season.

“I think Tyler was a little underrated,” Smith said. “I mean he’s a rookie. Went through the whole mini-camp, the whole training camp, playing guard, playing left back, and then Tyrone [Smith] goes down and he immediately goes back to what he did in college and goes and plays a left tackle and then he swings back and forth when we need him. What more could you want from a newbie? His versatility was so valuable to us that we could move him around starting with Tyrone, allowing him to play in his natural spot to start training camp from there. And then, of course, go to the left tackle and let us get our top five with Connor. [McGovern] there. And then, of course, when we felt it was better to have [Jason] Peters in the tackle, he immediately returned there in [left] guard. When Peters was injured, he returned to left tackle. His confidence is there. Obviously he will only get better as a young player, arrow straight up.”

As the Cowboys wait another offseason to figure out how to put together a team that will qualify for their first NFC championship game since 1996, Smith is part of an offensive line they can build around.

Jones said: “We really think we’ve got, you know, damn – I’m going to call him the ‘offensive lineman’ for now, but I really think he’s ultimately our left player for the future in Tyler Smith.”

The Cowboys are no stranger to seeing their best players receive accolades in recent years. Dallas’ 2021 linebacker linebacker Micah Parsons was a natural fit for the PFWA rookie team and even won the PFWA Rookie of the Year award.

What are your impressions of rookie Tyler Smith in his rookie season with the Cowboys? Share your thoughts with Mark on Twitter @therealmarklane.