2011 NFL Draft: Philadelphia Eagles Prospect: USC Offensive Tackle Tyron Smith

With so many questions surrounding the right side of the Eagles offensive line, the Eagles really need to make some moves in order to protect Michael Vick's blindside.  Not only do they want to find a solution, they want to find a long-term solution.

One option the team may consider is replacing a current USC graduate they have on the roster, Winston Justice, with another USC graduate, Tyron Smith.

At 6’5”, 307 pounds, Smith is a big boy to say the very least.  The thing that surprises most people about him is how athletic and nimble he is for someone his size.

For most draft experts, Smith is regarded as the best offensive tackle in his class.  As mentioned, his combination of size and athleticism are really what sets him apart from everyone else.  He's known to be a very balanced lineman, both run-blocking and pass-blocking very well.

Another reason that Smith may be appealing to the Eagles is the fact that he spent his career at USC playing the right tackle position.  Often times, young and talented offensive tackles will start on the right side, while older and more experienced players man the left side.  When they graduate, there is usually a transition over to the left side so that the more experienced player is protecting the quarterback's blindside.

Although there's typically not a difficult transition when switching sides, a player can still maintain a layer of comfort for not having to switch sides.  Some teams may not have him as high on their draft boards as other players if they're looking for a left tackle because he doesn't have experience on that side.  However, if he comes to Philadelphia, Smith will be asked to play on the right side.

Overall, I like what I've seen and heard about Smith, and with the Eagles needing so much help at right tackle, why not go after the best.  If the Eagles do indeed want to get their hands on Smith, they will almost certainly have to trade up to get to him.  Smith projects to go somewhere in the top 20 picks, and could possibly be taken off the board in the top 10.

Check out action of Smith during the 2010 season, here.