When the Cowboys drafted Asim Richards with the No. 169 pick in the 2023 NFL draft, they thought they had themselves a steal. Richards, a three-year starter at North Carolina, came to the NFL with experience, technique, and athleticism.
Lacking ideal NFL strength, Richards was expected to require a year of development in the weight room before he could feasibly contribute. Good feet and athleticism can only get an offensive tackle so far in the NFL. He’d need to bulk up.
Asim Richards was drafted with pick 169 of round 5 in the 2023 draft class. He scored a 7.48 #RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 360 out of 1423 OG from 1987 to 2023. https://t.co/dVDjB4PFod pic.twitter.com/mPJHlgo5pH
— Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) April 29, 2023
Luckily for the Cowboys they had a few promising options on their roster who could buy Richards time to develop. But as Cowboys fans know all too well, things don’t always go as planned and patience isn’t always an option in the NFL.
The Cowboys’ most promising young OT prospect, Matt Waletzko, has had a preseason to forget. Not only has he struggled in live action, but he recently suffered an injury which has kept him off the field. Suddenly patience is no longer a luxury Dallas enjoys and the time for Richards to perform is now.
It’s a challenge Richards has seemingly embraced and a situation that’s given him the inside track on the OT3 role in 2023.
I continue to be impressed with rookie tackle Asim Richards. I like his kick step and how he squares up quickly. He's been solid. He does need to clean up his hand fighting as defenders are still tossing him aside at times. pic.twitter.com/cGHNCFNYR8
— Dan Rogers (@DannyPhantom24) August 20, 2023
Over the first preseason games, Richards has shown all traits that made him such a highly regarded developmental prospect. His feet, movement, and agility are things that can’t be taught. His strength limitations are apparent, but at the same time they’ve been manageable.
Richards has been one of the Cowboys’ top rated pass blockers in the preseason. He’s played 118 offensive snaps, with 78 of them in pass protection. Of those 78, he hasn’t been called for a penalty, allowed a hit, or given up a sack.
He’s given up four pressures total, but based on his workload and early expectations, four pressures represent a big win for Richards. He no longer looks like the project player he was when drafted and is starting to look like a legit depth option for Dallas as they embark on the 2023 season.
Based on preseason usage, the Cowboys view Waletzko as a RT (all of his snaps have come at RT) and Richards as a LT (where majority of his snaps have come). It’s possible the traditional label of “swing tackle” isn’t applicable to this year’s squad and each side has their own specialist waiting in the wings.
Yet performance indicates it’s Richards who’s the third best tackle of the preseason and he’s blown his previously modest expectations out of the water.
None of this is to say Richards is the next man up if Tyron Smith goes down this season. Tyler Smith is still regarded as the LT of the future so it stands to reason if Tyron Smith is lost for an extended period of time, Tyler Smith would be considered the replacement for him. This would conceivably push the rookie Richards down a rung on the depth chart.
Regardless of how specific scenarios would hypothetically play out, Richards has been a breath of fresh air to a unit that’s struggled all preseason. He provides added security for 2023 and could be an invaluable piece down the road.
[affiliatewidget_smgtolocal]
[lawrence-auto-related count=3]