NFL Draft: Cowboys take OT at 24, Texans take LSU, A&M players

Published 9:46 pm Thursday, April 28, 2022

With the 24th pick, the Dallas Cowboys selected offensive lineman Tyler Smith of Tulsa in the NFL Draft on Thursday in Las Vegas. Smith is 6-5, 324 pounds.

Earlier, the Houston Texans, with Big Sandy native Lovie Smith as head coach, drafted LSU cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. with the third overall pick and added versatile Texas A&M offensive lineman Kenyon Green at No. 15.

The Texans had the 13th pick, which they received from Cleveland in the Deshaun Watson trade, but shipped it to Philadelphia in exchange for the 15th pick and three lower-round selections.

Stingley had six interceptions and broke up 15 passes as a freshman in 2019 to earn All-America honors, but has played just 10 games in the last two seasons because of injuries. He played just three games last season before having foot surgery.

Green earned All-America honors in 2020 and 2021 after getting freshman All-America honors in 2019. He started at both guard spots and both tackle spots in 2021. The 6-foot-4, 323-pound Green was the only player in the Bowl Subdivision to log 80 plays or more at four different offensive line positions last season and helped the Aggies average six yards a play.

At the top of the draft, the first five selections coming on that side of the ball, including edge rushers Travon Walker of national champion Georgia to Jacksonville and Aidan Hutchinson of Michigan to Detroit at Nos. 1 and 2.

It’s the first time in 31 years that no player on offense went in the opening five picks. So, naturally, the next five choices were on offense. And those kept coming: right through No. 12.

But no quarterbacks until the Pittsburgh Steelers picked Pitt QB Kenny Pickett with the 20th pick, hardly a surprise in a draft rich with linemen, receivers and defensive backs.

Commissioner Roger Goodell began the proceedings by estimating more than 100,000 fans were on hand at the theater built specifically for the draft. Walker was not in Las Vegas.

Cornerbacks Stingley and Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner went next, to the Texans and Jets, respectively.

LSU’s Stingley is the grandson of former Patriots receiver Darryl Stingley, who was paralyzed in a 1978 preseason game. Gardner, of Cincinnati, was a major reason the Bearcats broke through into the College Football Playoff last season. He wore a brash bejeweled necklace proclaiming his nickname, and even an accessorized chain with a bejeweled sauce bottle.

The defensive run concluded with Oregon edge rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux to the New York Giants.

When teams got around to the other side of the ball, they couldn’t stop. It began with North Carolina State tackle Ikem Ekwonu to Carolina and Alabama tackle Evan Neal to the Giants. Both teams are needy, to say the least, up front.

Atlanta, depleted of playmaking wide receivers, got Southern California’s Drake London before Seattle went for tackle Charles Cross of Mississippi State. Then came three more wideouts: Garrett Wilson of Ohio State to the Jets and college teammate Chris Olave to New Orleans, which traded up with Washington for the 11th slot; and Alabama’s Jameson Williams, coming off a serious knee injury, to Detroit, which moved up in a deal with division-rival Minnesota.

Another Georgia standout, defensive tackle Jordan Davis, was taken by Philadelphia at 13 after yet another deal, getting matters back to the defensive side.

Perhaps the biggest surprise early on was Baltimore trading top receiver Marquise Brown to Arizona for the 23rd spot. Until Philadelphia moments later acquired another solid wideout in A.J. Brown from Tennessee for the 18th pick.

So the desire to add pass catchers didn’t apply only to rookies, of which six were taken in the top 18. Penn State’s Jahan Dotson joined the parade to Washington, then the Titans added Arkansas WR Treylon Burks with the pick acquired for A.J. Brown.