The Cowboys went a little outside the box with their first-round draft pick in 2022, selecting offensive tackle Tyler Smith and then coaching him up to also be a high-level option at guard on Sundays.
It was so successful, they may be considering a rinse-and-repeat strategy in 2023.
ESPN’s Todd Archer reports that the team is adding Tennessee’s Darnell Wright to its list of official 30 visitors.
Another name for the Cowboys' top-30 visitors: Tennessee OT Darnell Wright. Possibility if he slides to 26? Team took Tyler Smith, Travis Frederick late in round 1 in 2022, 2013.
— Todd Archer (@toddarcher) April 12, 2023
A formidable presence for the Volunteers for four years, the 6-foot-6-inch, 335-pound Wright has extensive experience at both tackle and guard. He made five starts at right tackle and two at right guard as a freshman. His junior year, he started all 13 games at left tackle. He was back at right tackle for 13 starts as a senior and famously didn’t give up a sack all season.
That kind of positional versatility is music to the Cowboys’ ears.
As Cowboys Wire managing editor K.D. Drummond pointed out in this seven-round mock draft exercise, spending a first on Wright would give Dallas ultimate flexibility with not only the aforementioned Smith, but also veteran Tyron Smith and the returning Terence Steele. Matt Waletzko and Matt Farniok would continue to provide quality depth across the front five; Zack Martin would stay right where he belongs at right guard next to center Tyler Biadasz.
Darnell Wright is a OT prospect in the 2023 draft class. He scored a 9.67 RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 44 out of 1287 OT from 1987 to 2023. https://t.co/MFev2TZUGN #RAS pic.twitter.com/U5LoV09uBT
— Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) April 5, 2023
Of course, Wright is a hot commodity for plenty of teams in the first round. The 21-year-old has already been courted by a reported 20 teams ahead of the draft, with the Bears being mentioned as a destination over and over in several high-profile mock drafts (which often base their projections on things they’ve heard from NFL front offices).
The Cowboys have a stellar track record with first-round offensive linemen; that’s where the Cowboys have found Tyler Smith (17th), Martin (16th), and former center Travis Frederick (31st) in the last 10 years alone.
But the All-SEC prospect may not make it to the 26th pick. ESPN Analytics’ Draft Day Predictor computes the chances of Wright still being available in that slot at less than 30%. If the Cowboys really want Wright, it may require a trade up to get him.
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