NFL Draft Scouting Report: Tyron Smith

After playing right tackle in college, because he’s such an athletic lineman, he’ll likely move to the left side in the NFL. Moving to the left side isn’t a huge transition in terms of how he’ll play the position, but the adjustment is there in feeling comfortable in space moving to his left in pass blocking. He has been a starter for a while now at USC, and he’s been able to go through many situations in a pro-style offense which should help in his adjustment to the pro-game.

He is raw enough to develop into just about any system he goes to, and that versatility and experience should be coveted on draft day.

Smith has since bulked up since his final game at USC, but he’ll still need to prove that he has the strength and punch to be a consistent blocking tackle in the NFL. He does have a good initial punch in pass blocking, but needs to get stronger, especially in his upper half where he has the frame to get stronger. He does explode off the line in downhill run blocking most of the time and has shown the ability to read and react to rushers and his potential blocks well at the line and at the 2nd level. Again, he has the quickness and reaction skill to continue his ability to be a down the field blocker as he still could engage better in the open field, but he’ll still need to get stronger overall if he hopes to be an NFL dual threat blocker.

Again, Smith doesn’t have the balance to be an NFL ready offensive tackle thanks to both his stance, set up, and technique as a blocker. It seems correctable and he still has more than enough potential to play the left tackle position. He did use his hands well and has the hand size to continue to use his strength at the NFL level with, again, improved technique. He’ll need to continue to get stronger to remain strong at the point of attack, but does use his arms well to not let defenders get up underneath him and won most leverage battles in college, especially against speed rushers like the 3-4 linebackers he may face in the NFL. His technique overall needs work and he’s a work in progress as far as being a left tackle. But his body type and athletic ability suits well for a potential left tackle in the NFL.

Smith moves very well in space and laterally for his size, and because of that he’s already able to be an NFL blocker in these skills. He has shown he can kick out and knock rushers off the pocket well in college and in workouts, and will only need to adjust in kicking left than right, a transition that may take a bit of time but is definitely not a huge hindrance. He did struggle at times with power rushers and will need to keep his balanced and base and be able to get his hands on them and drive more efficiently. However, his ability to engage, pivot, and direct speed rushers and when he moves to the 2nd level is a skill set that suits both zone blocking offenses as well as being an overall left tackle at the NFL level.

Tyron Smith is an outstanding overall athlete for an offensive tackle transitioning to the NFL. Players with his body type coming out of college generally are bulky tight ends, not two year starting right tackles in a pro-style offense in college. Because he played on the right side, he has developed front-side run blocking ideas such as downhill blocking, engaging at the second level, and moving inside the line to make blocks Still, because he moves so well laterally, can handle speed rushers, and can play in space, he likely is an NFL left tackle because players with his skill set are so rare. He’s a very flexible athlete and bends and adjusts very well, speaking more to his potential of being an perfect, athletic left tackle. His technique needs work in his hand usage, balance, and overall footwork and isn’t a finished product as a left tackle, but he has so much to work with and has such a high ceiling, it would be very surprising to see him fall out of the Top 15-20 picks.