In the first round, the Cowboys may have their sights set on an offensive lineman, but it may not be the player we anticipate.

There is no denying that there is a ton of outstanding offensive line talent in the impending 2024 NFL draft class. It’s also no secret that the Dallas Cowboys, who lost Tyler Biadasz and Tyron Smith to free agency, could really use some.

When the Cowboys choose what many predict will be their new offensive tackle with the 24th overall choice on April 25, these two events may coincide in a fortuitous way.

It appears inevitable that the Cowboys will select an offensive lineman, but it’s still unclear which player they will select.

Troy Fautanu of Washington, Jackson Powers-Johnson of Oregon, and Graham Barton of Duke are three guys that would be excellent choices with pick number 24, as they can all start right away on the offensive line.

The Cowboys have officially visited all three of these players thirty times, and it is anticipated that they will be selected between choices 20 and 27.

However, what if the Cowboys had different ideas? Not that there are other plans, like aiming for a different position, but let’s say they select an offensive lineman in the draft—just not the one everyone was expecting.

Two years ago, when the team shocked everyone by picking Tyler Smith, this narrative rang true. As you recall, Smith was expected to go somewhere in the middle of the second round, so the Cowboys’ move appeared to be somewhat ambitious.

Would the Cowboys dare attempt such a feat again? Given that they have a fourth offensive lineman on their 30-visit list whose draft projection is also in that range, it would seem reasonable to ask this question. We’re talking about Kingsley Suamataia of BYU.

The interesting thing about Suamataia is how similar he is to Smith in many ways. Both of them are large men with exceptional athleticism for their size, and when they are in space, they are genuine beasts.

When they get their hands on their opponents, they can use their speed out of their stance, strong hip flexion, and force to maul them. Additionally, they both possess the ferocious nature that makes for an ideal trench combatant.

While their strengths are comparable, their flaws are about the same as well. On tape, both have some balancing issues. Suamataia can be seen lunging and slanting, which throws the large man off balance. Smith’s technique made it difficult for him to build a solid base, which resulted in poor reps where he was observed tripping.

These guys get into trouble with their hands too. We are well aware of Smith’s erratic hand movements, which miss the defender’s chest and land beyond the shoulders, leading to an excessive number of holding calls. Suamataia also has trouble placing his hands since he often misses punches, giving his opponents a chance to reach close to his chest and take the upper hand.

While these shortcomings don’t bode well for the player deserving of the team’s best draft pick, in certain cases the flaws don’t matter if the raw ability has All-Pro caliber upsides. And Suamataia is what you have with it.

Although he’s far from perfect, he does have certain physical characteristics that set him apart from other people. If they want to find the next great thing along the offensive line, they should be searching for a big, lengthy tackle candidate with power and quickness. While fundamentals can be taught, NFL strength and size are something you either have or you don’t.