From OU to the NFL: Offensive tackle Tyler Guyton
Not sure many OU fans even knew who Tyler Guyton was when he entered the transfer portal following the 2021 season from TCU.
And if you did, you definitely didn’t realize what an impact he would have with the Sooners. That’s how it worked out when Guyton left TCU to come to Norman.
His journey has reached the next step. Guyton became the first selection from OU for the 2024 NFL Draft, being picked No. 29 overall in the first round by the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday night.
2023 stats: Played in 10 games, started nine.
Career stats: Played in 29 games, started 15.
Guyton had so much athletic ability, but nobody knew how to really get the best out of him. His stay at TCU saw him flip-flopping positions until he transferred to OU.
Offensive tackle is not an easy position to just pick up and learn, but he fought through that. Who he is now is just a smidge of the tackle that he can become.
Guyton allowed just two sacks in his career, according to Pro Football Focus. He became the right tackle answer for OU, with 1,011 snaps coming at that position.
He didn’t get to end his OU career in style and did choose to opt out of the Alamo Bowl. But he was a key cog for that line the last two seasons and earned the respect of head coach Brent Venables. And now? It’s time to go to the next level.
Best game
Cheez-It Bowl vs. Florida State. Or phrased another way, Guyton’s breakout performance. After all, the outing that put him on the national map for the 2024 Draft. Going up against FSU’s Jared Verse, Guyton was expected to be dominated. Instead, he more than held his own. And Verse was among the first to credit Guyton for what he accomplished. Guyton was able to have that confidence to build off that heading into the 2023 season.
Coach says…
“He’d never really played the position. And it’s really hard, even for guys that have played it all their life. So after his first year and just getting used to me and how I coach, this last year he really took off and did the things necessary to put himself in this position. He’s one of the most talented guys I’ve ever seen,” Bedenbaugh said. “We’ve had some really talented guys come through here. It’s just experience. He’s matured. He’s approaching it the right way. Preparing the right way. He’s learned it.” – offensive line coach Bill Bedenbaugh
