Iron sharpens iron: DeMarcus Lawrence, Micah Parsons should fast-track Tyler Guyton’s development

Being tested daily by DeMarcus Lawrence and Micah Parsons should benefit Tyler Guyton.

There was a good chance the Dallas Cowboys would be movers and shakers during the 2024 NFL Draft, and they ended up making an early trade. That trade may have upgraded and revamped their offensive line, setting them up for future success down the road.

Sitting at No. 24 in the first round the Cowboys decided to trade down five spots with the Detroit Lions. In so doing, they selected Tyron Smith’s replacement at left tackle in Tyler Guyton and also added an extra third-round pick (73rd overall) which turned into the versatile offensive lineman out of Kansas State, Cooper Beebe.

These two draft picks should pay immediate dividends as rookies with the Cowboys. Tyler Guyton will will be expected to step in for Tyron Smith as the Cowboys new blindside protector as mentioned, and Cooper Beebe is expected to take over as their new starting center for Tyler Biadasz.

While Beebe has had no official starts in his collegiate career playing center, it is a position he has practiced throughout his time at Kansas State as well as leading up to the draft this year. Considering his experience, athletic profile, and mental makeup, his transition to OC is expected to be a relatively smooth one. The same may or may not be true for Tyler Guyton.

Despite having all the physical tools and athletic ability, Guyton is a raw player with very little starting experience under his belt. During his time at Oklahoma he only started a grand total of 15 games; 13 at right tackle, one at left tackle, and one at tight end. That inexperience hardly screams he’s ready to step in as a Day 1 starter, especially at left tackle.

There’s hope yet Guyton can get up to speed quickly despite his lack of experience at left tackle. Not only will he be focusing on his fundamentals/technique from now through training camp and preseason, but he will be battle tested along the way by two of the best pass rushers in the league, his new teammates DeMarcus Lawrence and Micah Parsons.

Both Lawrence and Parsons bring something different to the table that should help fast-track Guyton’s development. He will be tested on nearly a daily basis by both players and he would be wise to tap into that resource and openly receive any and all advice they may have for him so he can get up to speed as quickly as possible.

In D-Law, Guyton will be tested by a savvy veteran who knows all of the tricks of the trade. Due to No. 90’s nonstop motor and tenacity as both a run defender and pass rusher Guyton will need to be locked in from the snap of the ball until the whistle blows every play. Lawrence will test his balance and strength to anchor down, which are two of his biggest weaknesses.

When squaring off against Parsons, Guyton will be tested by one of the best pass rushers at capturing the edge as well as converting speed into power. He will learn quickly how to utilize his toolkit and the fundamental/technique it requires to combat Parsons’ speed/power. Going up against one of the best the league has offer should help immensely.

They say iron sharpens iron, so squaring off against Lawrence and Parsons on a daily basis should help Guyton’s transition from collegiate RT to NFL LT. There will surely still be some bumps along the way, but if he can learn from one of the best pass rushing duos in the league, there’s hope he will be ready on Day 1 of the season.