Can rookie Tyler Smith lift up Cowboys' O-line?

Jul 27, 2022; Oxnard, CA, USA; Dallas Cowboys tackle Tyler Smith (73) during training camp at the River Ridge Fields. Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Rookie Tyler Smith can push a truck, but can he lift up Cowboys' O-line?

By Clark Dalton | Last updated 8/26/22

The Cowboys' offensive line has been a strength for years. Now it’s a question mark with left tackle Tyron Smith out most of the season with a torn left hamstring. A potential replacement is rookie first-round pick Tyler Smith, who is so strong that he pushed a truck in college, as the NFL Network’s "Good Morning Football" reported.

Real linemen cardio @Tee_sizzle_ @TulsaFootball We up working...WHAT ARE YOU DOING??? pic.twitter.com/AJ65bFXPDb
— Coach Hilliard (@Coach_Hill23) May 19, 2020

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has compared Tyler Smith, who was drafted to play guard, to Cowboys legend and Hall of Famer Larry Allen.

“Not as a player, I’m not saying that,” Jones told Sports Illustrated. “But he is strong.”

But there's more to being a great offensive lineman than brute force. Discipline is important, too. The Cowboys were the most penalized team in the NFL last season with 127. That has carried over into preseason games. Against Denver, Dallas had 17 penalties.

Smith, who turned 21 in April, may have growing pains if he's tabbed to start. According to Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News, the last time Smith lined up at tackle was during May workouts. But that's not going to stop the Cowboys from exploring him as a replacement for Tryon Smith.

“You’ve got to take what you’re dealt, and go on without him” said Jones on ESPN. “But in the meantime we’ve got a guy named Tyler Smith who can come on the scene.”

More must-reads: