OXNARD, Calif. — As the Dallas Cowboys take the field for yet another practice in Oxnard, Calif., fans align the player’s path to the field.
As offensive tackle Tyler Smith makes his way through the cheering crowd, they begin to serenade him with plenty of well wishes for a great season.
Smith acknowledges with a smile and wave.
Now with a year under his belt, the 22-year-old is feeling a bit more at home.
“My biggest focus for this year is just improvement through and through. Whether it be technique, you know just understanding the scheme and things of that nature… The training wheels are off, it’s just time to continue to improve,” Smith said.
Smith was one of six offensive linemen taken in the first round of the 2022 draft to start all 17 games last season and the only rookie in Cowboys team history to start the regular season opener at left tackle.
Head coach Mike McCarthy likes the progression he’s seeing.
"He’s just mastering the position and starting to grow in the area of leadership, all those things but I really like the path he’s on," McCarthy said.
But, what was the big takeaway from Smith’s introduction to the NFL?
"I’m gonna have to go harder than I did last season. I'm gonna have to give more than I did last season, and just to improve on my process," Smith said.
Not only was the 22-year-old thrust into the starting lineup last season, but he played both left tackle and left guard as a rookie.
But, that wasn't an issue for McCarthy.
"The opportunity to train at two positions, he’s knocked that out of the park," the head coach said.
After gaining playoff experience from his rookie season coupled with the talent of this year’s team, Smith wasn’t shy expressing the goal for this year.
"The only goal we got is the Super Bowl. We got the squad to do it and the time is now, we’re not waiting around. You know we’re not about to wait around for things to fall into place. You know we’re trying to eat, let the dogs out," he said.