The Dallas Cowboys finished the 2016 NFL season with one of the best offensive lines in the entire NFL. Heading into 2017, it looked like it was smooth sailing but then veteran offensive tackle Doug Free announced his retirement from the NFL and the Cowboys suddenly had a huge need to fill. Luckily, the Cowboys had a first round talent playing at guard in La'el Collins who was ready to move to the right tackle position to replace Doug Free, and the entire Cowboys Offensive Line might get even better this season.
Five first-round talents on the Cowboys' offensive line
What is amazing is that, if the Dallas Cowboys started the 2017 NFL season this week, they would have four first-round draft picks and one player who should have been a first-round draft pick on their offensive line blocking for Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott.
Starting with what was already there, the Dallas Cowboys drafted center Travis Frederick, left tackle Tyron Smith, and right guard Zack Martin in the first round of three of the last five NFL Drafts. That was impressive in its own right. However, two years ago the Cowboys drafted safety Byron Jones in the first round but saw another first-round offensive line talent fall into their laps.
That man was La'el Collins, whose college girlfriend was murdered. Someone shot her in her apartment, and even though she was no longer dating Collins, the police wanted to question him. This happened right before the NFL Draft and no teams would take a chance on the player, despite being projected as a first-round draft pick.
When the police cleared his name, the Dallas Cowboys swooped in and signed him as an undrafted free agent.
That makes three Dallas Cowboys first-round NFL Draft picks and one that should have been a first-round pick on the offensive line. While La'el Collins played left guard in 2016, the Cowboys have moved him to right tackle and inserted free agent pickup Jonathan Cooper at right tackle.
Cooper was a first-round pick by the Arizona Cardinals in 2013, giving Dallas five first-round talents on their offensive line.
Zack Martin and La'el Collins
Zack Martin is considered the best offensive lineman on the Dallas Cowboys' roster and is one that they will likely lock in to a new long-term deal in the next year. It is Martin who is taking La'el Collins under his wing in 2017. Martin said that Doug Free took him under his wing and helped teach him the NFL and he will do the exact same thing for Collins. It sounds like the best is yet to come for the Cowboys' offensive line.