When Cooper Beebe won the Dallas Cowboys‘ starting center role from Brock Hoffman last offseason, many were unsure how the guard would transition to being “the” guy along the offensive line.

Well, he was just fine.

In fact, he is better than fine as Beebe handled everything thrown at him with aplomb, and now, with Brian Schottenheimer as the leading voice behind what we think will be a run-first offense, Beebe is expected to continue his ascension as part of his new-look, youthful offensive line.

As such, Bleacher Report has named Beebe as Dallas’ promising building block.

“As a rookie last year, Beebe earned the starting job,” Bleacher Report writes. “All-Pro guard Zack Martin retired. So, Dallas has a young trio on the interior of its offensive line. Tyler Smith is an established two-time Pro Bowler who can also line up at left tackle if Tyler Guyton continues to struggle as a starter. Tyler Booker is a rookie first-rounder who has to showcase his potential this year. Beebe could be the all-important centerpiece of that triumvirate.”

We don’t have to look back too far to see the benefits of having a foundational center being at the top of their game and how it helps the offense run, with Travis Frederick the main one who comes to mind (recently), so too Tyler Biadasz.

Is Cooper the next one in line?

Yeah, we think so.

What’s thrilling about where the Dallas O-line can go here is that while Beebe is a fine pick … did we mention that Smith is a young All-Pro? Did we mention that Booker projects to be right there with him?

But as for the center?

After being so calm and steady in his rookie season, handling the checks at the line of scrimmage with Dak Prescott and then Cooper Rush, Beebe showed he could be the heartbeat of the offensive line.

And when you are that, you can be a franchise building block, which is exactly what we think Cooper has the potential to be.