College Coach Bashes Cowboys' First-Round Pick

After having a disappointing showing in free agency, the Dallas Cowboys needed to hit a home run in the 2024 NFL Draft and address multiple positions of need. To the delight of Dallas fans, the team did a solid job of adding to the trenches, finding a linebacker, and adding depth in the secondary and wide receiver core.

The Cowboys shocked everybody in the first round, swapping spots with the Detroit Lions, who moved up to No. 24 to take a cornerback, while Dallas dropped down to No. 29. 

However, Dallas was still in a great spot to take the best player available on their draft board and grabbed Oklahoma offensive tackle Tyler Guyton. 

On paper, the decision to draft Guyton seemed perfect as it addressed an immediate need on the Cowboys’ offensive line, especially with Tyron Smith signing with the New York Jets in free agency.

That said, not everyone was a fan of Dallas’ decision to take Guyton in the first round. In a story written by ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg on Tuesday (subscription required), Rittenberg talked to over 20 college coaches to get their thoughts on the 2024 NFL Draft.

Rittenberg asked an unnamed Big 12 coach about the Cowboys taking Guyton and it wasn’t a gleaming endorsement.

“He never played at TCU, he was not an every-down player at Oklahoma last year, and he’s drafted in the first round,” said the Big 12 coach. “That’s because he’s long. It really is crazy. People think if you’re long and athletic, they can coach the rest.”

As we can see, that Big 12 coach isn’t a fan of Guyton’s skills and almost gives off the vibes that the first-round pick is a project player rather than someone who can start immediately. 

Dallas hopes that Guyton can start right away because this is a team that cannot wait for guys to develop. The Cowboys need the former Oklahoma Sooner offensive lineman to hit the ground running, especially with the goals that they have in mind this season.

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