Tag: Tyler Smith

Tyler Smith: NBA draft scouting report and intel

2004 | 6’11 | 7’1 WS | 226 LBS Team: G League Ignite Best aggregate mock draft rank: 9 / Worst rank: NR 2023-24 stats: In 2023-24, Smith averaged 13.4 points, 5.1 rebounds, 1.1 blocks, and 1.4 steals per game. He shot 48.1 percent from the field, …

2004 | 6’11 | 7’1 WS | 226 LBS

Team: G League Ignite

Best aggregate mock draft rank: 9 / Worst rank: NR

2023-24 stats:

In 2023-24, Smith averaged 13.4 points, 5.1 rebounds, 1.1 blocks, and 1.4 steals per game. He shot 48.1 percent from the field, 36.4 percent from three, and 56.0 percent from the foul line.

Tyler Smithisms: 2 Cowboys draft prospects with left-side versatility

The Cowboys like inside-outside versatility so Troy Fuatanu or Jordan Morgan could be attractive options. | From @ReidDHanson

The Cowboys love versatility on their roster. Players with position flex allow Dallas to mix and match the best starting lineup possible. It also helps them adapt to injuries midseason and stay nimble in their offseason roster construction.

Versatility is largely what drove them to select Tyler Smith in the first round of the 2022 NFL draft. And versatility may also be what drives them to pick someone like Troy Fautanu or Jordan Morgan in 2024.

Flashing back to 2022, the Cowboys were already looking for the heir to Tyron Smith at left tackle. Smith’s mounting injuries made him an unreliable piece on the offensive line. Over the two previous seasons the veteran LT only played a combined 13 games, making LT high on Dallas’ priority list.

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While the Cowboys didn’t want to rely on Tyron Smith to stay healthy, they also weren’t willing to give up on the former All-Pro either. The versatility offered by Tyler Smith allowed them to straddle the fence and adjust based on Tyron Smith’s availability. As luck would have it, Tyron Smith significantly tore his hamstring two weeks before Week 1, forcing the rookie to move outside and assume the role of Chief Blindside Protector.

One year later, it was back inside for Tyler Smith and back to LT for Tyron Smith. The versatility paid off for both years Tyler Smith has been in the NFL, and figures to continue to pay dividends in 2024, given the unsettled nature of the current OL lineup.

Fautanu, 6-foot-4, 317-pounds, hails from Washington’s pass-heavy offense. A 29-game starter at LT, Fautanu brings high-end athleticism, solid strength, and explosiveness off the snap. Scouts are split as to what his best position will be but most also agree he can play anywhere on the line effectively. His 34.5-inch arms and excellent agility keep him in the LT conversation. It’s very similar to how many scouts viewed Tyler Smith as a prospect in 2022.

Dane Brugler sees him primarily as a guard. He doesn’t just project Fautanu as a good prospect there, but he projects him as the top guard prospect in the 2024 NFL draft. Rated No. 9 overall on his big board, Fautanu may not even make it to the Cowboys at 24.

His real value will likely come down to where teams think they can play the somewhat aged 23-year-old. LT is considered a premium position so it would likely boost his value considerably if that’s where a team projects him. The fewer the teams who think he can play outside the better for Dallas’ chances.

Morgan, a career LT at Arizona, comes into the draft with a similar profile in many respects. Considered by many to be a better guard prospect than tackle prospect, Morgan brings with him a wide range of outcomes which may not immediately be apparent.

Brugler, who projects Morgan as the No. 2 guard in this class, still feels as if Morgan can survive at LT in the pros. Likening him to Matthew Bergeron, Brugler makes quite the connection for Cowboys fans. The Cowboys were extremely interested in Bergeron last draft cycle and openly debated picking him instead of Mazi Smith in the first round. It’s clear the Cowboys have a “type” and both Fautanu and Morgan seem to fit that type quite well.

Neither have the power of Smith as prospects (no one really does) but they come with the position flex to play both inside and outside making either of them a versatile piece on the Cowboys ever-changing OL landscape.

When Dallas drafted Tyler Smith, they were hoping he’d be the eventual heir to Tyron Smith at LT, but they were comforted he’d, at the very least, be a dominant left guard. Fautanu and Morgan project similarly. They can hope one of them can play LT at the NFL level but can feel comforted both also project as a high-end guards if all else fails.

The Cowboys would be extremely lucky if Fautanu fell to them in in the first round. Consensus draft boards have him at No. 18 so he’d have to fall six spots. And Morgan probably isn’t the best target for Dallas at Pick 24 since a number of higher rated players project to be on the board at that time. But in a trade down scenario, Morgan can offer strong value and the position flex the Cowboys crave on their OL.

In the past two consecutive drafts, the Cowboys have been attracted to offensive linemen who have inside-outside versatility. Will 2024 be Year 3?

Projected first-round pick Tyler Smith declares for 2024 NBA draft

Smith averaged 13.7 points, 5.1 rebounds, 1.3 assists and one block on 47.4% shooting from the field in 43 games with the Ignite.

G League Ignite forward Tyler Smith told Jonathan Givony of ESPN on Wednesday that he is declaring for the 2024 NBA draft after one year with the program.

Smith averaged 13.7 points, 5.1 rebounds, 1.3 assists and one block on 47.4% shooting from the field in 43 games with the Ignite. He produced seven 20-point games, including a season-high 29 points and four rebounds against the Indiana Mad Ants on Feb. 13.

The 6-foot-11 standout was selected to compete in the Rising Stars game in February as one of the top players in the G League. He also participated in the G League Next Up Game at All-Star Weekend.

Smith, a former consensus five-star prospect, joined the Ignite in June 2023 after two seasons at Overtime Elite. He was named to the All-OTE second team last season after averaging 15.7 points, eight rebounds and 1.3 blocks on 47.5% shooting from the field with Cold Hearts.

The 19-year-old is projected to be a first-round pick after developing into a versatile player who can run the floor and provide floor spacing at the next level, converting 36% from 3-point range on 3.7 attempts this past season. He can also work in the post, with his touch and footwork.

Smith will have the opportunity to improve his draft positioning in team interviews and workouts over the pre-draft process. He could also be invited to compete in the G League Elite Camp or draft combine next month in Chicago, Illinois.

The 2024 NBA draft will take place June 26-27 in New York City.

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Jerry Jones: Cowboys’ Tyler Smith is ‘working option’ at LT for 2024

From @ToddBrock24f7: With Tyron Smith gone, the youngster who was originally drafted to take his place may now do just that, despite a Pro Bowl season at guard.

Tyler Smith could be on the move again.

The Tulsa product, who will turn 23 in early April, has been shuffled between left guard and left tackle ever since being selected in the first round of 2022’s draft. And amid another offseason of change for the Dallas front five, which position Smith will occupy in the coming year is of high concern, as it has the potential to drive other key choices, especially when it comes to a talented draft class of offensive tackles.

Despite turning in a Pro Bowl campaign in 2023 at guard, Smith may now be headed back to the position he was originally drafted for.

Clarence Hill Jr. of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported on Sunday that Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is treating Smith as “the working option at left tackle” heading into draft weekend.

“I’d say that’s a good, viable thing,” Jones explained, per Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News. “Keep the idea there. Don’t dismiss the idea. … Certainly, he’s potentially– I want to say a great player at left tackle.”

Tyler Smith came to Dallas just as questions about Tyron Smith’s durability were getting loud. Tyron had been bothered by ankle injuries throughout the 2021 season, causing him to miss six games in the back half of the regular schedule. And the year prior, he had played in just two games total.

Tyler looked to be the eventual heir apparent at left tackle but spent his rookie camp learning left guard, ostensibly to give him valuable playing time until he (and Tyron) were ready for an official passing of the baton.

But when Tyron suffered a torn hamstring just before the start of the 2022 season, Tyler was quickly moved over. He played all 17 games at left tackle to lead the entire Cowboys roster in snaps on the year, and he played so well he was kept at tackle even after Tyron was healthy enough to return in late December.

With a fully healthy Tyron, 2023 saw Tyler go back to left guard, where he was named to his first Pro Bowl and earned second-team All-Pro honors over 14 game appearances.

But when Tyron left the Cowboys in free agency to sign with the Jets, it created a dilemma for the Dallas coaching staff. Where to play Tyler this season? Executive vice president Stephen Jones hinted last month that he may stay at guard, saying the situation was “starting to feel like Larry Allen all over again.”

But now Jerry is implying something different.

The 2024 draft class is stocked with several top-tier offensive linemen that look to be worthy of a first-round pick, but most of them are tackles by trade. It’s easy to envision a scenario where one of them falls to the Cowboys at 24 and he becomes a Week 1 starter at tackle alongside the now-veteran Tyler Smith at guard.

Or at least it was.

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Jerry’s suggestion that Tyler may switch positions once again could mean that the front office has their eye on a guard- either in the draft or in free agency- or that they plan to bring in a prospect with the versatility to learn a new position over the summer and then hope he can play it at a high caliber in the fall.

Just like Tyler did not that long ago.

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Tyler Smith’s future unavoidably linked to Cowboys 1st round draft pick

If the Cowboys need a new LT in 2024 they’ll likely need Tyler Smith to play it or they’ll need their first pick in the draft to fill it. | From @ReidDHanson

Tyler Smith is one of the most exciting young players on the Cowboys roster. The 2022 first rounder earned a Pro Bowl selection in just his second season as a pro and appears well on his way to All-Pro status in the not-too-distant future.

The 22-year-old lineman from Tulsa has become a cornerstone for Dallas, presumably serving as a generational bridge, as the greats ride off into the sunset and new blood assumes key roles within the trenches. Blessed with unteachable size, strength and athletic ability, Smith is on a trajectory to possibly be the best LG in the game, assuming he’s allowed to stay the course.

Recent statements made by Cowboys executive vice president and director of player personnel, Stephen Jones, indicate LG may not be Smith’s final spot. Smith was a left tackle in college and after injuries knocked Tyron Smith out for most of 2022, Tyler Smith played primarily LT as a rookie as well. His ability to play either position was one of the reasons the Cowboys drafted him. It’s a status the front office has mentioned on numerous occasions. And it’s that position flex which Jones appears to be embracing again in Year 3.

With reports indicating Tyron Smith is done in Dallas, a Cadillac-sized hole now opens at LT. Since protecting the QB’s blindside is generally Job 1 of any offensive line, Tyler Smith is likely under consideration for the role, even if it means vacating his All-Pro trajectory at LG.

The Cowboys saw what happened when a replacement level player took over for Tyron Smith at LT last season. They can’t afford to roll into 2024 with the same scenario playing out, especially since Terence Steele at RT has his own concerns in pass protection.

There’s no realistic shortcut to filling the LT role in the NFL. Most of the NFL’s better LTs come with first-round pedigree or years of seasoning (often both). It leaves the Cowboys with a dilemma on their hands. Do they move Tyler Smith to LT or do they use a first-round pick to fill the need at LT and hope his pedigree makes him a plug-and-play solution on a team with championship aspirations?

What the Cowboys want to do with Smith will likely influence their decision in the draft. Just like what they can actually accomplish in the draft will impact what they do with Smith. Both entities are linked because there’s a good chance only one or the other will solve the problem at LT.

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NBA Rising Stars 2024: Bennedict Mathurin unanimously named MVP to lead Team Jalen to title

Pacers sophomore Bennedict Mathurin was unanimously named MVP of the 2024 NBA Rising Stars game to lead Team Jalen to the championship.

Indiana Pacers sophomore Bennedict Mathurin on Friday was unanimously named MVP of the 2024 NBA Rising Stars game to lead Team Jalen to the championship in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Mathurin produced 18 points in the opening game as Team Jalen defeated Team Tamika. He had four points, two assists and one steal in a 26-13 win in the final over Team Detlef, which consisted of seven of the top players in the G League.

While Mathurin did the bulk of the scoring in the semifinal round, Dereck Lively II had six points and Jordan Hawkins and Jalen Williams each chipped in five points in the final. Williams drained the game-winning 3-pointer to end it for Team Jalen.

The event featured four seven-player teams competing in a three-game tournament for the third straight year. The two semifinal games were played to a target score of 40, and the championship game was played to a target score of 25.

The pool of players for the game consisted of 11 rookies, 10 second-year players and seven players from the G League. The players from the NBA were selected by assistant coaches and the players from the G League were selected by the league office.

The four teams were coached by Hall of Famer Pau Gasol, Indiana Fever legend Tamika Catchings and former Pacers standouts Jalen Rose and Detlef Schrempf, who led the G League team.

Here is how the teams performed in the event.

Cowboys’ offensive line already accounts for almost 25% of ’24 salary cap

Following the money spent on the offensive line finds Dallas’ depth impressive but two big holes have to be filled. | From @ArmyChiefW3

Budgeting for the offensive line is not an easy task as this group, whose numbers normally hover around 10 every season, can consume a large portion of a team’s salary cap. Even when only one player is paid top dollar, the amount of money spent on linemen can be a burden based on sheer numbers. With so many teams across the league scrambling for viable options, Dallas has assembled a cast of young hopefuls that could provide depth for the next few years.

The Cowboys will need to address the starting left tackle position this offseason, and although the upcoming draft is full of options, bringing back Tyron Smith could be the smart play. So could an agreement with center Tyler Biadasz, who is slated to hit the open market for the first time in his career. Here’s a rundown of what is currenly on the ledger for the group going into 2024.

NBA Rising Stars 2024: Full rosters revealed in draft announcement

The NBA on Tuesday unveiled the four seven-player teams for the 2024 NBA Rising Stars game.

The NBA on Tuesday unveiled the four seven-player teams for the 2024 NBA Rising Stars game on Feb. 16 as part of All-Star Weekend in Indianapolis, Indiana.

The event will feature four seven-player teams competing in a three-game tournament for the third straight year. The two semifinal games will be played to a target score of 40. The championship game will be played to a target score of 25.

The pool of players for the game consists of 11 rookies, 10 second-year players and seven players from the G League. The 21 players in the NBA will be drafted onto three teams. The seven players in the G League will comprise the fourth team.

The players from the NBA were selected by assistant coaches. The players from the G League were selected by the league office. Each team submitted a rookie ballot and a sophomore ballot featuring four frontcourt players, four guards and two additional players of any position.

Hall of Famer Pau Gasol will return as one of the four honorary head coaches for the event. Joining Gasol are Indiana Fever legend Tamika Catchings and former Indiana Pacers standouts Jalen Rose and Detlef Schrempf, who will lead the G League team.

Here are the rosters drafted by Gasol, Catchings and Rose.

Tyler Smith: Giants’ Dexter Lawrence is ‘a nightmare assignment’

Cowboys OL Tyler Smith and Eagles OL Jason Kelce say New York Giants NT Dexter Lawrence is the toughest assignment in football.

New York Giants nose tackle Dexter Lawrence is a menace. He’s arguably the best interior defensive lineman in football and his back-to-back Pro Bowl nods and Second Team All-Pro honors support that.

Few know the challenges of taking on Lawrence better than his NFC East rivals, who have the unfortunate task of trying to stop him twice per season.

During a sit down with the NFLPA at the 2024 Pro Bowl Games, Dallas Cowboys guard Tyler Smith paid Lawrence the ultimate compliment.

“Dexter Lawrence… He’s pretty good,” Smith said. “It’s rare that you see a dude at that size be able to move like that. So, I think he’s probably a nightmare assignment for anybody.”

But Smith wasn’t the only one paying their respects to Lawrence.

Philadelphia Eagles center and future Pro Football Hall of Famer, Jason Kelce, also named Sexy Dexy as his toughest matchup.

“I’d be remiss if I didn’t say Dexter Lawrence,” Kelce stated. “He’s got a good blend of everything — speed, power, and athleticism.”

Asked about his toughest matchup, Lawrence returned the respect and named Kelce.

“Jason Kelce. He’s a legend,” Lawrence said.

It’s one thing to earn praise from colleagues who only see your work on film. It’s quite another to be regarded as the very best by your most hated rivals.

Kelce and Smith naming Lawrence as their toughest matchup speaks volumes about the 26-year-old.

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2024 NBA Mock Draft: Latest first-round projections at midway point of season

Rookie Wire took a look at the 2024 NBA draft class and where the top prospects stand as of Feb. 1.

The top NBA draft prospects worldwide have collectively reached the second halves of their respective seasons as they look to showcase themselves in front of scouts and executives.

The class this year has seen several players help their stock, while others have struggled and fallen down draft boards. Some players have also dealt with recent injuries and other factors that have prevented them from reaching their potential.

The draft is widely considered open at the top of the board, with several prospects in the conversation to be the first selection. Unlike last year, when Victor Wembanyama was the consensus No. 1 pick, there is no clear-cut choice this year.

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Prospects will continue to see their standing fluctuate over the remaining two-plus months of action on the court as scouts have more time to evaluate them. The sheer unknown atop the draft board should create plenty of storylines to follow over the remainder of the season.

The NBA announced on Wednesday that the draft will be expanded to a two-night format, with the first round set to take place on June 26 at the Barclays Center. The second round will be at ESPN’s Seaport District Studios in New York the following night.

Rookie Wire looked at the class and where the top prospects stand at this point of the season. The order was determined by the reverse order of the NBA standings as of Feb. 1.

Note: Player fit wasn’t necessarily taken into account with each pick. Pick protections and other notes courtesy of Tankathon.