Does this OL prospect fit the Chicago Bears new mold?

Tyler Smith is a redshirt freshman and is still just 20 years old. After sitting out his first year, he started at left tackle in 2020 and 2021 before garnering enough attention to enter the NFL draft. The Chicago Bears have an obvious need for offensive tackles, so the question now becomes what does Tyler Smith bring to the NFL, and when should he be considered in the 2022 NFL draft?

Tyler Smith Athletic Measurements

Thanks to MockDraftable we are able to see how Tyler Smith compares from size and athletic standpoint from past NFL draft offensive line.

His height is about average, but his wingspan and arm length are above average. From there, he posted elite speed at size, combined with above-average agility drills, and a slightly below-average vertical jump.

Tyler Smith has made 24 career starts and all of them have come at left tackle. For his career, he has committed 16 penalties.

Strengths that Tyler Smith can translate to the NFL

Tyler Smith is nearly perfectly built for a lineman. His height is not a concern, especially because for his height he has great width and length. Smith has great power, and when he does he gets his arms within reach of his opponent he can often latch onto them and put them into the ground.

Smith shoots out of his stance whether in pass protection or getting downhill as a run blocker, where he arguably is at his best. Still, his quick feet and shoot-out in pass protection is hard to teach for people of his size and give him a base to build upon. When you add in his age as one of the youngest players in the draft, the upside he brings is much higher than most players in this draft.

Questions that will impact Tyler Smith in the NFL

There will be a time to bet on the upside of Tyler Smith, but the need for tackles and his potential may have teams overvaluing him. A lot of his profile is based n potential and bits and pieces of seeing the way that he moves. His movement skills at his size and his power are rare, but his technique is that of a two-year starter from Tulsa with limited experience.

Smith can reach and grab too often, which can lead to holding calls, but at the same time will see Smith overshooting and missing his target, taking himself out of the play altogether.

The other issue is that while he is quick off of the snap, he often gets too high out of his stance, and nearly is standing up straight by the time he is ready to engage with his man. Smaller players can get under him and beat him with leverage from there.

The raw tools are hard to ignore, but the raw has to be emphasized, as a team will have to work to refine his technique and get the most of his physical skill.

With that type of skill set, what is the best NFL comparison for Tyler Smith?