FRISCO, Texas – As the Cowboys sit with the 12th overall pick in this year's draft, there are so many viable options to cover so many needs. One might assume that it's really hard to mess this one up.
That's what I think, at least. Other than quarterback, I can get on board with just about any other position that is possible for the 12th pick.
That's what happens when you go 7-10 and miss the playoffs. You've earned the spot you're in and there's so many great players up there, just stand in there and make the pick.
Take a look back on Tyron Smith's career with the Dallas Cowboys and his 14 seasons in the NFL as he announces his retirement.
Southern California offensive tackle Tyron Smith poses for photographs with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell after he was selected as the ninth overall pick by the Dallas Cowboys in the first round of the NFL football draft at Radio City Music Hall on Thursday, April 28, 2011, in New York. (AP Photo/Jason DeCrow)
Dallas Cowboys tackle Tyron Smith (77) warms up before the start of an NFL pre season football game against the Miami Dolphins, Thursday, Sept. 1, 2011, in Miami. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
Dallas Cowboys offensive lineman Tyron Smith (77) waits for the snap during an NFL football game against the Oakland Raiders on Monday, Aug. 13, 2012, in San Francisco. The Cowboys won the game, 3-0. (AP Photo/Greg Trott)
Dallas Cowboys offensive tackle Tyron Smith (77) blocks for running back DeMarco Murray (29) during an NFL football game against the New York Giants on Sunday, September 8, 2013, at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The Cowboys defeated the Giants, 36-31. (AP Photo/James D. Smith)
Dallas Cowboys offensive tackle Tyron Smith (77) is introduced before an NFL football game against the Washington Redskins on Monday, October 27, 2014 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The Redskins defeated the Cowboys in overtime, 20-17. (AP Photo/James D Smith)
Tony Romo #9 of the Dallas Cowboys is helped up by Tyron Smith #77 after throwing an interception against the Miami Dolphins during an NFL football game on Nov. 22, 2015 in Miami Gardens, Fla. Dallas defeated Miami 24-14. (Joe Robbins via AP)
Dallas Cowboys offensive guard Tyron Smith (77) blocks during an NFL game against the Washington Redskins Sunday, January 3, 2016, in Arlington, Texas. The Redskins defeated the Cowboys, 34-23. (James D. Smith via AP)
Dallas Cowboys offensive tackle Tyron Smith (77) pulls out to block during a 2017 NFL week 5 regular season game against the Green Bay Packers, Sunday, Oct. 8, 2017 in Arlington, Texas. The Packers defeated the Cowboys, 35-31. (James D. Smith via AP)
Dallas Cowboys' Tyron Smith (77) and Joe Looney (73) celebrate after place kicker Brett Maher, rear, kicked a 59-yard field goal in the first half of an NFL football game in Arlington, Texas, Sunday, Dec. 23, 2018. (AP Photo/Ron Jenkins)
Dallas Cowboys offensive tackle Tyron Smith (77) blocks during an NFL football game against the Chicago Bears, Thursday, Dec. 5, 2019, in Chicago. Chicago won 31-24. (Aaron M. Sprecher via AP)
Dallas Cowboys' Dak Prescott (4) and Tyron Smith (77) warm up before an NFL football game against the Cleveland Browns in Arlington, Texas, Sunday, Oct. 4, 2020. (AP Photo/Michael Ainsworth)
Dallas Cowboys offensive tackle Tyron Smith (77) stands on the sideline before an NFL football game against the Washington Football Team, Sunday, Dec. 12, 2021, in Landover, Md. The Cowboys defeated Washington, 27-20. (James D. Smith via AP)
Dallas Cowboys offensive tackle Tyron Smith (77) gets set against the Philadelphia Eagles during an NFL football game, Saturday, Dec. 24, 2022, in Arlington, Texas. The Cowboys defeated the Eagles, 40-34. (Cooper Neill via AP)
Dallas Cowboys offensive tackle Tyron Smith (77) runs off the field before an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 17, 2023, in Orchard Park, NY. (AP Photo/Matt Durisko)
New York Jets offensive tackle Tyron Smith (77) warms up prior to an NFL football game against the Houston Texans, Thursday, Oct. 31, 2024 in East Rutherford, N.J. (Kevin Sabitus via AP)
And that's pretty much what happened back in 2011, which could arguably go down as the best draft class in NFL history – at least in recent league history.
"Oh, it's got to be No. 1."
That was the answer I got when I asked Tyron Smith his thoughts on his own draft class some 14 years ago. It was a time of reflection this week when the Cowboys signed Smith on Wednesday for a day, to allow him to retire as a member of the Cowboys after his one season with the Jets this past year.
But Tyron Smith is a Dallas Cowboy – and now he'll always be one. But when you think back to that draft, there were so many great players in that class, making it one of the best ever. And even at the time, we knew it was going to be special.
It had dynamic quarterbacks, explosive receivers, pass-rushers off the edge and of course, big, strong offensive linemen who could protect the quarterback for a decade.
There was only one problem to that last part – the Cowboys didn't draft offensive linemen like that. Well, at least Jerry Jones didn't. See, in 2011 it had been over 20 years since Jerry bought the team and there hadn't been a single offensive linemen taken in the first round in that span. In fact, the Cowboys hadn't picked a lineman at all in the first round in 30 years – not since Howard Richards in 1981.
So needless to say, it was more than time to change that stance. And with Jason Garrett's persuasion, seeing that it was his first NFL Draft as the Cowboys' head coach, the Cowboys finally pulled the trigger on taking a lineman and went with a 20-year-old in Tyron Smith.
Sure, he couldn't legally buy a beer, but let's be honest … who was going to card him? He was the biggest "kid" we had ever seen and he was the first of what became a trend of first-round lineman drafted by the Cowboys in a four-year span.
It was Tyron Smith, then Travis Frederick in 2013, followed by Zack Martin in 2014. That's when the Cowboys developed the second-coming of The Wall, and it was a staple for the team for more than a decade, regardless if the running back was DeMarco Murray, Darren McFadden or Ezekiel Elliott and if the quarterback was Tony Romo or Dak Prescott.
But back to Tyron's actual draft class – I think he's right when he says it must be considered one of the best of all time.
In looking back to other years, it seems like a class that has 9-10 Hall of Famers is the standard for greatness. The 1983 Draft has quarterbacks such as John Elway, Dan Marino and Jim Kelly, along with Eric Dickerson, and then there's Darrell Green at the end of the draft as well.
But if you think about the 2011 Draft, obviously, they're not ready for the Hall of Fame just yet. But there will be some Gold Jackets handed out.
The locks include Von Miller (2nd), J.J. Watt (11th) and in my opinion, Tyron Smith (9th overall). Then you've got some really strong cases to be made for the likes of Cameron Jordan, Cam Heyward, Julio Jones and Patrick Peterson. And in the later rounds, Richard Sherman and Jason Kelce certainly have a case.
Now, I didn't include the No. 1 overall pick in Cam Newton, who was a great player in his time, but probably not Canton-worthy. A.J. Green was a great receiver and one of the best in the game during his prime, but probably not a Gold-Jacket wearing dude.
I would guess, when it's all said and done, and that could be like 10-15 years from now if not longer, this 2011 Draft class will have anywhere from eight to 10 Hall of Famers. And I'm really sure Tyron Smith will be one of them.
Again, with that kind of talent, the Cowboys had no real choice to get it right. And man, they did ever.
