Dallas Cowboys select Tyler Guyton in first round of 2024 NFL Draft

The Dallas Cowboys used the No. 29 overall pick in the NFL Draft to select Oklahoma offensive tackle Tyler Guyton. Dallas traded down with the Detroit Lions.

Overall, this was an excellent year for NFL teams to draft an offensive tackle. This year’s class of tackles was top heavy with elite tackles. Guyton certainly was one of them, with most mock drafts keeping the former Sooner star in the first round throughout the scouting process.

Guyton is a behemoth, standing 6-foot-8 and 322 pounds. But despite his super size, the tackle was only a three-star prospect coming out of Manor High School outside of Austin. It might’ve been because Guyton played defensive tackle. The On3 Industry Ranking listed him as the 89th best defensive lineman in the country. Meanwhile, he was the 102nd overall prospect in the recruiting-rich state.

Guyton first signed with TCU. That’s where he switched to offense. After the 2021 season, he transferred to OU. That’s where he showed his versatility. He started five games total in 2022. One of the starts was at left tackle. The other four were on the right side since Sooners quarterback Dillon Gabriel was a lefty. He remained at right tackle last season.

What NFL Draft analysts are saying about Tyler Guyton

Lance Zierlein, who is a draft analyst for NFL.com, believes Guyton can play either right or left tackle in the pros. Overall, NFL.com projects Guyton as a starter within two years.

Zierlein wrote: “Ascending tackle prospect with the traits and tape to project a bright future as a high-level pass protector in the league. Guyton has battled injuries and had limited reps coming over from TCU after the 2021 season. But his flashes have been complemented by increasing consistency. He plays with a high center of gravity and needs to get stronger, but leveraged hand strikes can help overcome those concerns.

“He should continue to get better as a run blocker,” Zierlein added. “But might never shine in that department. Guyton’s value comes with his pass protection, as he has the length, feet and body control to become a human roadblock. He should become a talented starter at either tackle position.”

The one knock against Guyton throughout the NFL Draft process was his lack of on-field experience. So teams had to project his potential.