DALLAS — The Dallas Cowboys need help along their offensive line. After years of being the team’s strength, injuries and departures have weathered the unit until it has become a position that must be addressed by Dallas. Everyone can see it.
ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. especially sees it and had the Cowboys attending to the interior of their offensive line in his latest mock draft which follows the first wave of free agency. The longtime draft guru placed Tulsa guard-tackle Tyler Smith in the care of Dallas, who will pick No. 24 overall in Round 1 of the 2022 NFL draft.
"The Cowboys will look different in 2022, with Amari Cooper, Randy Gregory, Connor Williams, Cedrick Wilson and La'el Collins among the notable departures," Kiper writes. "That doesn't necessarily mean they'll be worse, but they do have to plug a couple of holes. I'm not sure an edge rusher makes sense if this is the way the board shakes out — could Dallas take a flier on David Ojabo, who tore an Achilles at his pro day last week? — but there are a couple of offensive linemen who could play immediately. And with Tyron Smith and Zack Martin both over 30, the Cowboys should reprioritize the line. Smith could play guard or tackle, and in this scenario he'd slot in to Williams' left guard spot. [Boston College guard] Zion Johnson is the other possibility, and he could even play some center."
The Cowboys have two holes to fill on the offensive line with left guard Connor Williams signing with the Miami Dolphins and with Dallas releasing right tackle La'el Collins, who signed with the Cincinnati Bengals.
Third-year tackle Terence Steele is expected to take over for Collins, which would leave Smith or another draft pick with the task of replacing Williams at left guard — or at least give fourth-year lineman Connor McGovern a run for his money.
Notable Texas A&M offensive lineman Kenyon Green, who has been linked to Dallas, goes No. 22 overall to the Green Bay Packers in Kiper's mock. The next three picks after Smith include Penn State receiver Jahan Dotson, Boston College center-guard Zion Johnson, and Iowa State running back Breece Hall.
Dallas has not taken an offensive lineman in the first round since 2014 when they selected Zack Martin with the 16th overall pick, which was the third first-round offensive lineman for the Cowboys in a four-year span from 2011-14.
All-Pro left tackle Tyron Smith was the first (2011) and All-Pro center Travis Frederick, who retired after 2019, was the second (2013). The Cowboys may not find another perennial All-Pro at No. 24 overall, but the expectation is set for them to grab a player who can be a substantial brick in the next Great Wall of Dallas.
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