Cowboys All-Pro lineman left off NFL’s Top 100 list
The NFL Top 100 players for 2024 list is close to being fully revealed, with the remaining 10 to be revealed on Friday night at 8:00 PM ET. While the list is voted on by players across the league, the Cowboys had five players selected. RG Zack Martin (53rd), CB DaRon Bland (31st), EDGE Micah Parsons (17th), QB Dak Prescott (16th), and WR CeeDee Lamb (13). There are a few players on the Cowboys who missed the cut who certainly have an argument to have been selected. DE DeMarcus Lawrence, TE Jake Ferguson, and K Brandon Aubrey all had very impactful seasons and were left off. However, the biggest snub from the Cowboys is LG Tyler Smith.
Smith entered the 2023 season after a relatively impressive first-season as the team’s left tackle. With Tyron Smith back healthy, the 2022 first-round pick played left guard throughout last season. The position change paid off, as Smith went from a good left tackle, to an elite left guard in the NFL.
Tyler Smith is Special
• People who cover the Cowboys and care about the battle in the trenches, like @BigDuke50, know how great LG Tyler Smith has been this season.
• Finally, finding a home at left guard has really helped his leap in year two of his professional… pic.twitter.com/lohtD7rsrT
— Brandon Loree (@Brandoniswrite) October 11, 2023
In just his first full season playing left guard, Smith was a reliable anchor in pass protection for QB Dak Prescott. He allowed just 15 pressures, and one sack in 565 pass-blocking snaps throughout last season. His impressive season earned him a second-team All-Pro selection in just his second season in the league.
His own teammate Zack Martin recognizes his greatness, calling him one of the top guys in the league. And Martin, who is an all-time guard, knows what it takes to excel at the position.
Zack Martin on Cowboys LG Tyler Smith: “He can take a big step. He was dominant last year. Really dominant. But he can get better, that’s the scary thing. I think he’s one of the top guys in the league, and he’s gonna be there for a while. The sky’s the limit for that guy.” pic.twitter.com/mQjUcEqP96
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) July 26, 2024
No one is saying that Smith should have ranked as high as Parsons, Prescott, or Lamb on the list, but to say Smith isn’t even a top 100 player in the league seems a little out there.