How the Cowboys landed their next left tackle in Oklahoma's Tyler Guyton

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FRISCO, Texas — Tyler Guyton said his heart dropped when it was announced Thursday night that the Dallas Cowboys were trading back from Pick 24. The native Texan dreamed of playing for the Cowboys. He felt good about his pre-draft visits with the team. He thought he would be their pick.

Guyton just had to wait 30 more minutes.

Dallas traded back with the Detroit Lions to No. 29 overall and made the former Oklahoma right tackle its choice.

"I really love the Cowboys and I really love football," Guyton said. "That was all I was dreaming (about). But we got the job done."

Stephen Jones said the Cowboys had four players they really liked at 24, felt good about at least one still being there at 29. Tyler Guyton was one of those players.

Mike McCarthy: "God, what a great pick for us. This is a great add to our offensive line room."

Jerry Jones:… pic.twitter.com/JtJhWGGxRG

— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) April 26, 2024

It was no secret that offensive line was the Cowboys' biggest area of need entering the start of the NFL Draft. They needed to come away with a tackle, center or guard on Day 1. There were four players Dallas considered when it went on the clock at 24, an ideal scenario for a team that also needed to add more picks. Guyton, Arizona offensive lineman Jordan Morgan, Duke offensive lineman Graham Barton and Missouri edge rusher Darius Robinson were those players.

The Cowboys were confident that at least one of the four would still be available if they moved back five spots. Morgan, Barton and Robinson immediately went at Picks 25, 26 and 27. The defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs were all that stood between the Cowboys and Guyton. Dallas knew the Chiefs were targeting a wide receiver.

"I had a lot of conversations with the Cowboys," Guyton said. "I was really close with (offensive line coach) Mike Solari. We chopped it up at all times that we could. A lot at the Pro Day. I kind of had a feeling that he was going to make me their guy."

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones called the move a "sexy pick" because of Guyton's upside. Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy said he doesn't think the 6-8, 322-pounder will have a problem making the move from right tackle at Oklahoma to left tackle in Dallas.

"He's got a tremendous ceiling," McCarthy said.

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Guyton only started 15 games in college, 14 over the last two seasons at Oklahoma and one during his freshman and sophomore seasons at TCU. The Cowboys believe his size, arm length and athletic ability project him to be an ideal fit to play left tackle in the NFL.

"The way he plays the game, he has a little nasty to him," Cowboys vice president of player personnel Will McClay said. "Sure, they all have to grow and learn, but playing at Oklahoma with that coach and what he has learned and then spending time talking with his coach over time and finding out more about the kid, you feel really comfortable about that. The athleticism and all that stuff is there."

Guyton isn't a polished tackle prospect like Notre Dame's Joe Alt, who went to the Los Angeles Chargers fifth overall. That's why he was still available at 29. More projecting takes place with a tackle taken at the end of the first round. But the Cowboys' track record of success over the last 10-plus years with first-round offensive linemen — Tyron Smith, Travis Frederick, Zack Martin, Tyler Smith — earns them the benefit of the doubt.

"We get players that have attributes that we feel like we know what it takes to pick a good lineman," McClay said. "The thing is the work ethic and them being able to do (the job) and then coaches that are willing to work with guys that are young guys."

Dallas isn't done up front. There's still a need at center. But the Cowboys believe they can address that position in the middle of the draft, like when they picked their previous center, Tyler Biadasz, in the fourth round four years ago. Dallas doesn't have a fourth-round pick this year, but it gained a second third-round pick in the trade with Detroit. That could be the round when the Cowboys' next center is found.

The bigger need was finding their replacement for Tyron Smith at left tackle. Had they not drafted Guyton, Tyler Smith was likely going to make the move from left guard to left tackle. He can now stay at his stronger position on the inside. And the rookie can work alongside last year's second-team All-Pro.

"That was the most exciting thing for me," Guyton said of Tyler Smith. "I get a guard that's a dog. I love how he plays. I feel like we're going to thrive together. I love his nasty edge and his ferocious mentality. Hopefully, I can piggy-back off of him."

(Photo: Brian Bahr / Getty Images)

Jon Machota is a staff writer covering the Dallas Cowboys for The Athletic. He previously covered the Cowboys for The Dallas Morning News. He's a Detroit native and graduate of Wayne State University. Follow Jon on Twitter @jonmachota