Checking In On USC OT Tyron Smith

This years offensive tackle class is not considered very strong. Typically, 2-3 of them go in the top 10-15 picks of the NFL Draft. This year, there is a chance that only one may go within those parameters, and that’s USC OT, Tyron Smith. Smith may be considered one of the few blue chip players in the 2011 Draft.

Currently, Smith is completing rehab on his knee. He suffered a minor injury towards the end of his 2010 campaign, and had it scoped shortly after the season finale. It doesn’t appear that the knee injury has significantly effected his offseason workouts. DraftInsider.net is reporting that Smith is up to 304lbs from his playing weight of 285lbs. He looks to get his weight within the 307-310lbs range before the Combine.

Smith is a former tight end and has a ton of athletic ability. If you didn’t know any better, just by looking at his physique, you’d think he was a tight end or defensive end. He is the new breed of offensive tackles, long armed, athletic, fast, and bodies of Adonis. The days of the sloppy, gut over belt are over. Smith plans to show off his athletic ability at the 2011 NFL Scouting Combine. He hopes to run his forty-yard dash in the 4.8 range.  If there are any setbacks with his knee rehab, Smith will hold off on the Combine and workout at USC’s pro-day.

I look for Smith’s arrow to greatly ascend in the next few months. Right now, Nate Solder, Gabe Carimi, and Anthony Castonzo are receiving all of the attention, but none of them have the upside and athletic ability of Smith. Come April, Smith may be taken ahead of all of those guys.