Dallas Cowboys Draft: 3 untraditional solutions for the Cowboys at guard
By Reid Hanson
Chandler Zavala, OG NC State
Chandler Zavala has been a popular name in Dallas Cowboys draft circles this month. The NC State guard stand 6-foot-3, 316 pounds. Ranked OG3 from Pro Football Focus and OG5 from Dane Brugler, Zavala is in the round 2-3 range on most trusted big boards.
In the 1085 snaps he’s taken over the past two seasons, Zavala didn’t allow a single sack. The career left tackle could smoothly slide into the Cowboys vacancy on Day 1. But many scouts believe he can play all three interior spots which includes center.
Chandler Zavala is a OG prospect in the 2023 draft class. He scored a 9.50 RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 70 out of 1393 OG from 1987 to 2023. https://t.co/zueW27yJTr #RAS pic.twitter.com/ZYLGwicHdw
— Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) April 8, 2023
Zavala’s main issue is his experience. He suffered a back injury in 2021 that shortened his season so he has less than two years of Division I college experience. NC State was careful not to expose him in pass-pro so his stats indicate he may be better than he really is.
That said, Zavala only has 2 penalties in 17 games indicating he’s playing calm and under control and he’s physically able to handle everything. He’s fleet of foot and strong showing signs of dominance as a run blocker.
So I'm watching the latest Cowboy twitter hype guys. Chandler Zavala is cool but BOOOOOY I like Atonio Mafi. Gimme him
— Voch Lombardi (@VochLombardi) April 2, 2023
Zavala plays nasty and can block on the move, opening up many opportunities in different run-schemes. I suspect his pass pro isn’t as great as it showed in 2022, but it’s not a weakness either. It’s something that will take some development but not so much he can’t be a starting option right away.