Guyton isn’t the most popular name for the Steelers in the first round, but the promising tackle could be a great fit in Pittsburgh.

Approaching the 2024 NFL Draft, we’ll be scouting as many of the top prospects that the Pittsburgh Steelers could have their eye on anywhere from Rounds 1 through 7. We’ll break down the prospects themselves, strengths and weaknesses, projected draft capital and their fit with the Steelers.

In a historically deep offensive tackle class, could Oklahoma’s Tyler Guyton be a sleeper option for the Steelers’ first round pick?

The basics on Tyler Guyton

• Position: Offensive tackle
• Class: Redshirt junior (Oklahoma)
• Size: 6’8, 322 pounds
• Age: 22 years old
• Projected draft round: Round 1

Tyler Guyton scouting report

If you’re looking for another 2024 NFL Draft tackle in the Amarius Mims mold, look no further than Oklahoma’s Tyler Guyton. Guyton lacks Mims’ elite mass (322 pounds vs. 340), but both prospects are awe-inspiring athletes at 6’8, with top-notch upside but raw technique.

Guyton immediately stands out on tape — he sits very high in his stance compared to the rest of the line of scrimmage. It’s largely due to the fact that he’s a human skyscraper, but there’s no denying he plays with a worrying lack of leverage in his game.

Guyton has a bad habit of widening his arms and slowing his feet once he contacts defenders when blocking. He prefers to engulf defenders and wrestle rather than spar. His immense upper body strength allows him to get away with it, but at the end of the day, you’d like to see more sudden footwork and hand placement (right tackle — No. 60 in all clips).

That poor technique can lead to defenders occasionally slipping past Guyton in pass protection.

When he does utilize his powerful punch, it’s a fun watch. Guyton has the ability to throw rushers completely out of the play.

Although Guyton isn’t the smoothest mover, he doesn’t have much of an issue mirroring quicker defenders on the edge. He has bursts of excellent lateral mobility for a player his size.

His pulling ability stands out as well. Guyton is more than capable as a second-level blocker, and a matchup linebackers and defensive backs don’t look forward to.

As a run blocker, Guyton uses his size and strength to bulldoze defenders out of the way.

Other times, his uprightness can result in him not getting a great initial push off the snap, although Guyton’s strength usually prevails eventually.

This can leave him vulnerable in pass protection as well. But he’s still hard to completely beat, even with a sloppy start. Guyton has a natural anchor.

To come full circle to the Amarius Mims comparison that kicked off this draft report, Guyton has similar inexperience. He started playing football in his senior year of high school, with only 15 career starts in college. One of those starts was as an H-back when Guyton was at TCU.

As a result, Guyton’s game is unmistakably raw, but his physical traits are off the charts. He’s closer to starting in the NFL than you might think, too. He already has the athleticism to hold up against NFL rushers, and with some professional coaching over the summer, he could develop into an excellent starter at right tackle very soon. Despite being a bit of late riser, Guyton profiles a surefire pick in the mid-to-late first round of the upcoming NFL Draft.

Strengths

• Elite measurables
• Incredibly strong upper half
• Great mobility

Weaknesses

• Plays too upright
• Can be a bit of a lumbering mover, often slows down feet and hands
• Limited starting experience

What others are saying about Tyler Guyton

Lance Zierlein of NFL.com

Ascending tackle prospect with the traits and tape to project a bright future as a high-level pass protector in the league. Guyton has battled injuries and had limited reps coming over from TCU after the 2021 season, but his flashes have been complemented by increasing consistency. He plays with a high center of gravity and needs to get stronger, but leveraged hand strikes can help overcome those concerns. He should continue to get better as a run blocker but might never shine in that department. Guyton’s value comes with his pass protection, as he has the length, feet and body control to become a human roadblock. He should become a talented starter at either tackle position.

Hogs Haven

Tyler Guyton has NFL scouts drooling at his potential and scratching their heads over his mistakes. He is a large and very athletic man… Guyton is a lump of clay with the raw potential to be molded into any run blocking system, but his inexperience means that he will have a lot to learn with any system. He has the raw material to be Gap OT, especially because of his size and short-area quickness, plus he is the rare OT who can pull effectively. However, his athleticism makes him a good candidate for a Zone Blocking System as well. In either, he would have to develop his skills considerably. Indeed, he is the rare OT who potentially could be scheme versatile.

Ian Cummings of Pro Football Network

Tall, well-built, and high-mass blocker with good length, flexibility, and reach… Nimble, light-footed mover at his size with awe-inspiring recovery athleticism… Patient and disciplined pass blocker who manages his depth well, always staying square… Length, while solid, may not be proportionally elite… A tall frame sometimes prevents him from getting underneath stunners and locking out… On occasion, widens his hands too far and exposes himself to bull rushes.

Tyler Guyton’s fit with the Steelers

Guyton widely projects in the lower tier of this year’s first-round tackles. I largely agree — I’d definitely take Taliese Fuaga over him — but the gap isn’t as huge as most evaluators make it seem. I spent a lot of time focusing on Guyton’s negatives in the plays embedded in this article, but the truth is that his tape was surprisingly consistent, filled with a lot more good than bad. Guyton has technique issues, but his physical tools mask a lot of ills, also showing how much better he can get at the next level.

The Steelers see similar upside, having spent a top-30 pick on Guyton. He could definitely be an option for the black and gold at pick No. 20, with the athleticism and physicality to really excel in Arthur Smith’s zone run scheme. Guyton projects best as a right tackle in the pros, allowing Broderick Jones to slide back to the left side of the line. He may not be a Day 1 starter, but Guyton’s development is far along enough that he should definitely see the field sometime in his rookie year. He has the tools to give the Steelers a bookend set of tackles for the next several seasons.

TL;DR: Tyler Guyton is a strong, athletic right tackle prospect who lacks ideal experience and technique. If he can improve his footwork and hand placement a bit at the next level, he’ll be starting material. If he cleans up his leverage, he could be a Pro Bowler

What are your thoughts on Oklahoma offensive tackle Tyler Guyton? And which draft prospects would you like to see profiled next? Let us know in the comments below!