Cowboys Draft: All in on Isaiah Wynn in the first round

If Georgia offensive lineman, Isaiah Wynn, falls to the Cowboys at pick 19, they should go all in on their offensive line, making him the pick.

The Dallas Cowboys will, once again, enter the draft with plenty of needs. Needs at receiver, linebacker, and defensive tackle are all undeniable. But further investment in the offensive line may be the best way to mask all other needs and improve the Cowboys the most significantly in 2018.

We’ve discussed the needs for offensive line heavily over the past few months. The Cowboys addressed said needs slightly in free agency, but hardly to the degree that the O-line can be ignored early in the draft.

Catch up here on why O-line in round one makes perfect sense:

Isaiah Wynn – not just a guard

Virtually all scouting reports of Isaiah Wynn are positive – both from a character perspective as well on-the-field ability. Where many of them differ is their outlook on him playing tackle at the professional level.

I’m not a scout by any means but I do watch film so I can compare what I see to what scouts see. And I see a player who can play tackle. His height and reach may not be prototypical but neither is Wynn. Wynn is special and I firmly believe he can play tackle in this league.

Pro Football Focus gave Wynn a 98.7 grade in pass blocking efficiency last year when he was the left tackle. That’s fifth in the nation.

Don’t get me wrong, he’s more likely to be Pro Bowler at guard than he is at left tackle, but that doesn’t mean he can’t fill the role on the edge with success. Seeing this position flex reminds me of when the Cowboys drafted Zack Martin.

The Cowboys drafted Martin thinking he may be a solution at right tackle. He turned out to be an All Pro inside so the idea was quickly squashed, but the idea of moving was a very legitimate possibility at one time. It helped them make the decision to draft him in the first place.

The same can be said of Wynn. The Cowboys could draft him to fill their needs at left guard over the next two seasons. If La’el Collins then leaves the team as a free agent (very likely), Wynn could slide over to right tackle.

Insurance at tackle now, starting tackle in the future

Additionally, Wynn would also be a viable option as an emergency backup tackle for the Cowboys next season. If the swing tackle situation blows up in the Cowboys’ faces like it did last year, they could always move Wynn to the outside (again, vacating the much easier-to-fill position of guard).

The Cowboys added Cameron Fleming in free agency to presumably fill the swing tackle role. But if no suitable solution is found at guard, we could see La’el Collins moving inside and Fleming starting outside, leaving no one to man the swing tackle spot. Dallas would find themselves one Tyron Smith injury away from disaster.

Drafting a player like Wynn would provide an immediate upgrade inside at guard.

It would allow Collins to stay where he’s best, right tackle. And it would let Fleming back up Smith who is always a risk to lose time.

The icing on the cake is that it would allow Dallas to digest the loss of La’el Collins in two years – or even, God forbid – the retirement of Tyron Smith, should back issues pop up again.

Next: 7-Round Mock Draft: Cowboys make trades, add Earl Thomas

There’s a good chance Isaiah Wynn won’t even be available when the Cowboys go on the clock at pick 19, but if he is, he needs to be considered because he can positively impact this team, both now and in the future, better than anyone.

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Cowboys Draft: All in on Isaiah Wynn in the first round

By Reid Hanson | Apr 20, 2018

If Georgia offensive lineman, Isaiah Wynn, falls to the Cowboys at pick 19, they should go all in on their offensive line, making him the pick.

Isaiah Wynn – not just a guard

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Insurance at tackle now, starting tackle in the future