Dallas Cowboys reveal jersey number for first-round pick Tyler Smith
Tyler Smith found out Thursday night at the 2022 NFL Draft that he will be playing for the Dallas Cowboys next season, and now he knows what his jersey number will be. The No. 24 overall pick and Tulsa Hurricanes product will wear No. 73 for his rookie season, according to The Athletic’s Jon Machota.
Smith was seen posing with Cowboys owner Jerry Jones in Machota’s tweet, as the pair held up a Dallas jersey with Smith’s name and new number on the back. It’s a change for the 6-foot-6, 332 pound offensive lineman, who wore No. 56 during his college days with the Golden Hurricane.
An under the radar prospect coming out of high school in 2019, Smith quickly developed into an anchor for the Tulsa offensive line. This past season as a starter at left tackle, he helped the Golden Hurricane pass protection rank 39th in the FBS in sack rate (5.4%). Some have speculated he may move inside to left guard in the NFL, but either way it’s clear the Cowboys got a talented piece for the future.
Tyler Smith responds to criticism against Cowboys for selecting him
Not everyone was pleased with the Dallas Cowboys taking Tyler Smith on Thursday evening. ESPN NFL Draft analyst Mel Kiper ripped the Tyler Smith selection, saying the offensive lineman needs some coaching if he wants to be a successful offensive lineman in the NFL.
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Smith was asked about the criticism during his introductory press conference on Friday afternoon. He said the media is something he tries to tune out but also gave a hilarious response when it comes to people’s opinions.
“I try to stay away from the media,” Smith said. “I feel like everybody has an opinion. Just like buttholes, everyone has one.”
Head coach Mike McCarthy, who was sitting next to the first-round pick, was there to react as well. He seemed to be a fan of Smith’s mentality, claiming the phrase was “awesome.”