When the Dallas Cowboys were on the clock during Thursday’s NFL Draft, former North Crowley football coach Courtney Allen stood in front of his TV and he started to pray.
Then NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said Tyler Smith’s name and all Allen could do was scream.
The Cowboys selected Smith with the 24th pick in the first round of the draft on Thursday in Las Vegas.
Allen coached Smith during his senior year at North Crowley.
“Definitely exciting times,” said Allen, who is now the coach at Mesquite Horn. “We’ve had players get drafted before, but none in the first round. Sends a positive message to the guys of the future.”
Smith was a senior offensive tackle in 2018 and a 3-star prospect. He was a three-year letterman with the Panthers, played guard and tackle, and helped a rushing game that averaged nearly 300 yards and four touchdowns per game. He was also a first-team all-district lineman and third-team all-state in 2017.
Allen remembers Smith as an unquestioned leader and someone that came to practice ready to work.
“It was a pleasure coaching him,” Allen said. “He was well respected by his peers and teammates.”
According to 247Sports, Smith only had four offers from Houston, Navy and New Mexico before choosing Tulsa. Smith went from 6-4, 310 pounds in high school to 6-5, 325 pounds in college.
After a redshirt year in 2019, Smith played and started at left tackle in all nine games in 2020. He was named Freshman All-America and earned first-team all-conference. Then in 2021, he started in 12 games and was second-team all-conference. He was also named to the preseason watch list for the Outland Trophy, which is given to the top offensive lineman in the country.
So when the Cowboys picked him, Allen had just one word to say.
“Just congratulations and that’s it,” Allen said. “We knew this would happen. We’ll talk more in-depth in a couple of days. You know his phone has been ringing off the hook.”