2011 NFL Draft: Tyron Smith Taken Ninth Overall By Dallas Cowboys

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2011 NFL Draft: USC Has Nine Players Selected, Passes Notre Dame For Most Players Ever Drafted

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2011 NFL Mock Draft: Mocking The Draft Interviews Tyron Smith

On the day of the NFL Draft, our very own draft blog Mocking the Draft has published an interview with USC tackle Tyron Smith, who figures to be among the first few names called on Thursday night according to most NFL Mock Drafts. Even though he has been steadily climbing up Draft Boards since he finished his final season, Smith hasn't been paying too much attention to the hype surrounding him.

You know, all the hype and everything, I just didn't really pay attention to it. I just focused on the important parts where, you know, meet with the coaches. Things like that. You know, just, moving on with this process to draft day. Basically, I was just chilling with my family, training, and everything like that.

Smith is projected to be an early first round pick, possibly as high as the Cowboys at No. 9 overall. Maybe he'll get a little bit more into the hype of it all once he finally hears his name.

The first round of the 2011 NFL Draft starts at 8 p.m. (ET) on Thursday, April 28, and SB Nation has everything you need to prepare: NFL mock drafts, draft projections, scouting reports, the full NFL draft schedule and more. Check it out at SB Nation's NFL Draft page and our NFL Draft blog, Mocking the Draft.

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2011 NFL Draft: Tyron Smith Expects To Go Early In The First Round

The NFL Draft is finally here, and 32 young men will have their dreams come true tonight as their names are called as first round draft picks. Tyron Smith projects to be one of those 32, and likely among the first ten or so to hear his name called. SB Nation just came out with the latest, and final, edition of their 2011 NFL Mock Draft, and they still have Tyron Smith going to the Cowboys at No. 9 overall.

Dallas is a wild card in the first round, to be certain. Smith is raw, but has tremendous upside, and could start at right tackle immediately in Big D.

Smith is a developmental prospect, but he could likely play right away on a depleted Dallas offensive line. I'm not sure if this is too high for him to go, but he might still represent good value if the team taking him really needs a tackle. Dallas certainly fits the bill there.

The first round of the 2011 NFL Draft starts at 8 p.m. (ET) on Thursday, April 28, and SB Nation has everything you need to prepare: NFL mock drafts, draft projections, scouting reports, the full NFL draft schedule and more. Check it out at SB Nation's NFL Draft page and our NFL Draft blog, Mocking the Draft.

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2011 NFL Draft: Cowboys Could Be Targeting Tyron Smith At No. 9

The 2011 NFL Draft is just about 24 hours away, and we are continuing to get more information about where the top prospects in the Draft might go. That includes USC tackle Tyron Smith, who has been mentioned as a potential pick of the Dallas Cowboys at No. 9 overall by pretty much anyone who cares to share their opinion. That includes Clifton Brown of Sporting News, who reports that the Cowboys might have some legitimate interest in Smith.

Holding the No. 9 pick in Thursday’s draft, the Cowboys are widely believed to be targeting USC tackle Tyron Smith. If not Smith, the Cowboys could opt for a pass rusher like Wisconsin defensive end J.J. Watt, or cornerback Prince Amukamara of Nebraska.

Brown makes sure to mention how odd of a pick this would be for the Cowboys, because they have not taken an offensive lineman in the first round since Jerry Jones has owned the team. Smith could be the first one in 22 years. But we'll know more by this time on Friday.

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2011 NFL Mock Draft: Tyron Smith Still Projected To Be A Top Ten Pick

For so long it felt like it might never come, but on Thursday, the 2011 NFL Draft will finally be upon us. As it gets closer, the amount of information and speculation we receive about it has increased exponentially. SB Nation just released the newest edition of the 2011 NFL Mock Draft, and they still have Tyron Smith going with the No. 9 overall pick, but to a different team than they have had him going to in the past.

This edition of the Mock Draft has some trades built in, and one is the Cowboys trading up to the No. 5 pick and the Cardinals getting No. 9 (among other compensation) in return. They have the Cardinals spending that first round pick on Smith. Here is their rationale.

After moving down from No. 5, the Cardinals missed out on quality at the rush linebacker position, but can address that area with one of their two second-round picks. Smith is a potentially elite left tackle prospect, and OT is a really underrated need for the Cardinals.

I think the Cardinals would be kind of disappointed to walk away from this draft with Smith if they had a chance to take LSU cornerback Patrick Peterson or Missouri QB Blaine Gabbert if they just stay put. I think that if Gabbert is on the board, this trade would not be made. Having said that, I think Smith is still a good fit to go somewhere in this area, no matter who is drafting.

The first round of the 2011 NFL Draft starts at 8 p.m. (ET) on Thursday, April 28, and SB Nation has everything you need to prepare: NFL mock drafts, draft projections, scouting reports, the full NFL draft schedule and more. Check it out at SB Nation's NFL Draft page and our NFL Draft blog, Mocking the Draft.

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2011 NFL Draft: USC Tackle Tyron Smith Visits Patriots

We've seen Tyron Smith project to go as high as No. 9 to the Dallas Cowboys in some Mock Drafts around the Internet, but there is no guarantee that he goes that high on Draft day. So he needs to do all of his due diligence and make sure that all of the teams in the first round know what he's made of. That's why he's been making the rounds and visiting with some of his prospective employers.

His most recent, according to Mike Reiss of ESPN Boston, was with the Patriots.Reiss reports that the Patriots might have interest in Smith because of some uncertainty on their offensive line. The Patriots hold the No. 27 and 28 in the first round, but they would have to probably trade up if they want to have a shot at drafting Smith.

This was the last day that teams are allowed to host prospects, so it might be telling that Smith decided to use his final chance on the Patriots. Or it could just be a matter of scheduling. We'll have to wait until Draft day to see what it means.

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2011 NFL Draft: How Tyron Smith Compares To Another Elite Tackle Prospect

In terms of the Draft, this is not the strongest class of tackles we have seen recently. Even last year there were two tackles taken in the first six picks in Trent Williams (Washington) and Russel Okung (Seattle). But this year, there might not even be a tackle taken in the top ten.

Whenever it happens, USC's Tyron Smith is in the conversation to be the first tackle taken off the board. Andrew Carter of the Orlando Sentinel recently compared Smith to another top tackle in the Draft, Boston College's Anthony Castonzo. Here is what he found.

If it's a question of talent alone it'd be difficult to pass up Smith. But Castonzo is more the sure-thing entering the league. Unlike Smith, Castonzo was an unheralded signee entering college. He had to work for every opportunity and he made the most of his chance.

In a league where teams can easily fall in love with potential, I would expect to see Smith go first. but the team that drafts Castonzo will probably see a more immediate impact, and could eventually wind up with the better player.

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2011 NFL Mock Draft: USC LT Tyron Smith Projected By Peter King As Top Ten Pick

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2011 NFL Draft: Will USC's Tyron Smith Be A Top Ten Pick?

More often than not, USC will have a player near the top of the NFL Draft boards. this year, that player is right tackle Tyron Smith, who is projected my many experts to be a top ten pick. Smith started on the right side of the line for the Trojans, but figures to have the athleticism and strength to move over to the more crucial left side of the line as he gains knowledge and experience.

SB Nation just released the latest version of their 2011 NFL Mock Draft, and they have Smith going ninth overall to the Cowboys, which is a spot you will see him in many Mocks around the Internet. Everyone seems to be in general agreement that this is a pretty good value spot for Smith; so even if the Cowboys trade out of this pick, you can expect him to be drafted somewhere in the neighborhood of this selection.

Smith didn't start out the Draft process as a top ten pick, but his impressive athleticism during pre-draft activities has allowed him to shoot up Draft boards. He doesn't have the typical bulk of a starting left tackle (if you can call just about three bills "not bulky") but he has a big frame and should be able to add weight once he gets into the NFL. He also has the strength to be able to play on that side of the line no matter how big he winds up being.

The other intriguing part about Smith is his age. Smith won't turn 21 until December, so he is much younger than other prospects at his position usually are when they hit the Draft. That means he'll have a couple years of NFL coaching and conditioning by the time he is as old as most tackle prospects that will be available to teams in the Draft.

He is the definition of an upside pick. Someone who didn't play like a top ten pick in College, but has the measurables and potential to develop into one of the better players in the draft. Whichever team decides to take Smith has to be aware that he might require more work than other tackles that are generally taken at this position. But if he reaches his potential, he could wind up rewarding a team that has the patience to bring him along.

We'll be covering Smith's road to the NFL Draft in this stream, but you can head over to Mocking the Draft for an in depth profile on Smith, and Conquest Chronicles for more on the Trojans.