Tyler Smith delivering strong early returns at two positions — left tackle, left guard — gave the Cowboys options while constructing their draft board, and Oklahoma tackle Tyler Guyton became the team’s pick. The Guyton move points to Smith staying at guard. The Cowboys are set to give the ex-Sooners right tackle every opportunity to win the starting LT job, The Athletic’s Jon Machota notes (subscription required). Teams make the inverse move more often, with the college game’s top O-linemen most frequently coming from the left tackle spot. Guyton views himself as a more natural left tackle, however, and his development there will keep well-paid RT Terence Steele in place.
Trading down from No. 24 to 29, the Cowboys picked up an extra third-rounder (No. 73). Dallas used the latter pick on Kansas State’s Cooper Beebe, and Machota adds he profiles as the team’s Tyler Biadasz center replacement. Linked to Duke center prospect Graham Barton at No. 24, the Cowboys passed with the ex-Blue Devil on the board (Barton went to the Buccaneers at No. 26). Beebe vacillated between left tackle, right tackle and left guard with the Big 12 program. While Machota notes Beebe could be an eventual Zack Martin successor, he is on track to begin his career at center.
Here is the latest from O-lines around the league:
- The Raiders are making changes on the right side of their offensive line. Right tackle Jermaine Eluemunor joined the Giants, and Greg Van Roten remains a free agent. The team used Day 2 of the draft to acquire Oregon’s Jackson Powers-Johnson (Round 2) and Maryland’s Delmar Glaze (Round 3). In all likelihood, Powers-Johnson is ticketed for a starting guard role, per The Athletic’s Vic Tafur and Tashan Reed. Glaze is set to begin his career at tackle, though GM Tom Telesco said (via ESPN.com’s Paul Gutierrez) guard work could also be in his future. Glaze will likely settle in as the Raiders’ swing tackle, according to The Athletic, though it is in play he could push Thayer Munford — who lost a position battle with Eluemunor last year — for the RT post.
- Washington made three second-round picks in this draft. The Commanders acquired a defensive tackle (Jer’Zhan Newton), a cornerback (Mike Sainristil) and a tight end (Ben Sinnott) in a busy Round 2. O-line finally came up in Round 3, with TCU’s Brandon Coleman chosen at No. 67. Projected by some as a likely candidate to slide to guard, Coleman will not make that move initially….