• Offensive line no longer a strength: After losing Tyron Smith and Tyler Biadasz in free agency, the Dallas Cowboys‘ offensive line doesn't appear to be a strength anymore.
• Graham Barton could be an ideal first-round target: Barton's run-blocking prowess and positional versatility would help solidify Dallas' offensive line.
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The Dallas Cowboys offensive line has been considered to be a strength of the team for years; however, mainly due to the Cowboys being the NFL offseason's most inactive team so far, the unit might be in trouble next season. Here is a look at what they could do in the draft to prevent that.
Dallas decided to sit back and see how things unfold in the first couple weeks of free agency, which led to them letting left tackle Tyron Smith sign with the New York Jets and letting center Tyler Biadasz sign with the Washington Commanders. In addition, future Hall of Famer right guard Zack Martin will turn 34 years old during the season after posting back-to-back down years by his standards. Finally, right tackle Terence Steele – coming off an injury – had an inconsistent and disappointing 2023 season. In conclusion, it is fair to say that things are not trending in the right direction for the Dallas offensive line.
The solution for the left tackle position is already on the roster, as the Cowboys are expected to move third-year left guard Tyler Smith to tackle. The Tulsa alum has already played at that position in the NFL during his rookie season when he replaced an injured Tyron Smith and earned a respectable 79.3 PFF grade while playing left tackle. However, the remaining holes will probably need to be filled through the draft. As a result, it is no surprise that most mock drafts predict the Cowboys will select an offensive lineman in the first round later this month. Here is a rundown of the three players that are most frequently mocked to the Cowboys.
Let's start with the prospect most commonly mocked to Dallas using PFF’s Mock Draft Simulator: Oregon center Jackson Powers-Johnson. Additionally, he is also the highest-ranked interior offensive lineman on PFF’s big board (24th). Due to Oregon’s running game, Powers-Johnson is a versatile run blocker, as he has experience both on zone-blocking and gap-scheme runs, performing well on both. However, his main strength might be his pass blocking as he earned a 90.6 PFF pass-blocking grade in 2023 since he allowed just one pressure – and no hits or sacks – on 497 pass-blocking snaps.
Duke’s Graham Barton is another popular option mocked to Dallas in Trevor Sikkema’s mock draft last month. Although Barton finished his career as a left tackle for the Blue Devils, he actually played inside at center as a freshman. While his pass blocking has not been elite, it is important to note that he would get different kinds of assignments at center. Furthermore, he is among the best zone run blockers in this draft class, which makes him an attractive option for Dallas.
Finally, Georgia right tackle Amarius Mims is another player linked to Dallas in multiple mock drafts. Lack of experience is definitely a concern, as he played just 803 offensive snaps with Georgia, which is fewer than the number of snaps Powers-Johnson played for Oregon in 2023 alone. However, when he was on the field, he flashed plenty of potential, especially as a pass blocker. Over his last three seasons, Mims did not allow a single sack or quarterback hit and surrendered only a total of six quarterback hurries on 402 pass-blocking snaps. With him having experience only at right tackle it is uncertain where he would play as the Cowboys gave Steele an extension last year; however, if Dallas is looking to put together the five best available offensive linemen and figure out who plays where later then Mims could very well be their first-round pick later this month.
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