2011 NFL Draft: Which Smith Is the Right Fit for the Dallas Cowboys?

Aldon Smith or Tyron Smith?

That’s the question the Dallas Cowboys must answer sometime over the next few weeks before commissioner Roger Goodell puts them on the clock on draft night.

One of the few benefits of the Cowboys’ lousy 2010 season is that the team now has a chance to land a premier prospect with the No. 9 pick in the this year’s draft.

With such a high pick, Dallas has the opportunity to select an instant impact player who come in and fill an instant need.

The two prospects they will likely zero in on are Missouri DE/OLB tweener Aldon Smith and USC OT Tyron Smith.

Since the Cowboys already have one of the most feared pass rushers in the NFL today, DeMarcus Ware, lining up on the outside of their 3-4 front, you may be wondering why they would look to add a player like Smith so early on in the draft.

The answer?

Ask any NFL coach or GM and they’ll tell you that you can never have enough quality pass rushers on your roster these days.

Former first round pick Anthony Spencer, Ware’s current counterpart at the other outside linebacker position, was expected to build on his breakout 2009 season last year, but instead he regressed, finishing with only five sacks.

While Spencer has proved to be a solid player thus far in his career, he doesn’t look to have the same kind of upside that Aldon Smith does.

Smith, a relatively raw prospect at this point, opted to enter the 2011 Draft after seeing just one and half seasons of game action at Missouri. However, during that short time frame, the 6’4’’ 265 lb. end made it clear that he could be a quarterback’s worst nightmare by racking up 16 sacks in his short-lived collegiate career.

Smith has the rare athleticism and speed off the edge to make a fluid transition to the rush linebacker position in a 3-4 defense and he may possess the most potential out of any prospect in this year’s class.

Three years from now we could be talking about Smith in the same breath as DeMacrus Ware, so it wouldn’t it be fitting if it’s indeed Ware who ultimately ends up being the one to groom him?

The lethal Ware-Smith pass rushing combination could be devastating and alter the whole complexion of the Dallas defense .

While it does sound appetizing, the problem with choosing Aldon Smith at No. 9 is that it wouldn’t solve the team’s biggest problem, which is the hole at offensive tackle.

Right Tackle Marc Colombo, who will be 33 next season, had a rough season last year—and that’s putting it mildly.

Colombo was a turnstile in 2010, allowing rushers into the backfield all season long.

Dallas will need to find an upgrade for the aging tackle if they don’t want to lose QB Tony Romo for another season.

A player that could solve their dilemma is USC right tackle Tyron Smith, who has been climbing up draft boards during the workout portion of the process, and now looks set to be the first offensive linemen selected.

Although it’s hard to justify Smith as a true top 10 talent, the 6’5’’ 307 lb. former tight end is one of the more athletic linemen prospects we’ve seen come out of college in years.

He’s still a bit raw and fundamentally inconsistent, but with the proper development Smith should be able to stabilize the tackle position—something that the Cowboys sorely need.

Even though both Smiths look to be the two prospects the Cowboys are highest on, it’s not set in stone that either will be selected at No. 9 when all is said and done.

When Jerry Jones is calling the shots, you never know what could happen.

There’s a lot of different avenues the team could travel down whether it’s looking at a cornerback like Nebraska Prince Amukamara or a 3-4 defensive end such as Wisconsin’s J.J. Watt.

Who knows, maybe they’ll even shock the world and make Mike Pouncey’s now infamous tweet (http://cowboysblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2011/04/c-mike-pouncey-sees-cowboys-in.html) look like the work of a gifted prophet.
 
Only time will tell, but if I had to say right now which way the team is leaning, I would say tackle Tyron Smith is the most likely choice.