When the Cowboys selected Tyler Booker, they didn't just want a starting lineman, but one who would elevate all others as well.
The Dallas Cowboys knew two years ago. When Zack Martin held out from training camp in order to secure more guaranteed money for the final two years of his deal, the front office knew the end was near. The team used their first-round pick last season to select a replacement for Tyron Smith, but that was only part of the formula. Drafting Tyler Guyton also meant the stabilization of Tyler Smith at guard, and the third-round selection of Cooper Beebe added another foundational piece to the interior.
That gave Dallas a myriad of potential configurations, so once Martin made it official this past spring, the team went about adding a slew of bodies to the equation, re-signing Brock Hoffman and adding Robert Jones, Saahdiq Charles and Hakeem Adeniji on top of TJ Bass. The coup de gras though was the first-round selection in 2025 of Alabama star Tyler Booker, who turned all of those starting options into elite depth as he slid into the forefront of the re-establishment of a dominant blocking group.
Rundown
Position: Offensive Guard
Age: 21
Height: 6-foot-5
Weight: 325 pounds
Hometown: New Haven, CT
High School: IMG Academy (Bradenton, FL)
College: Alabama (Film Study Video)
Draft: 2025 First-Round. No. 12 overall
Acquired: 2025 Draft
Contract: Four-year contract (2025), $22.5 million
2025 Base Salary: $840,000 | Cap Hit: $4.1 million (per Over The Cap)
Profile
Booker will be a starter from Day 1; there will be no impediments to his establishment as a cornerstone of the offensive line. He'll work under first-year head coach Brian Schottenheimer, offensive coordinator Klayton Adams and offensive line coach Conor Riley in their mission to build the NFC East's next mauling operation.
Booker is shifting from left guard, where he was an All-American in 2024, unless the Cowboys need to reshuffle things elsewhere and it makes more sense to move the other Tylers (Guyton to RT or the bench, Smith to left tackle).
He was drafted rather high even for a potentially elite guard, who normally don't go until the back half of the first round, because of his leadership qualities, something the team did not feel was inate in their other centerpieces of the rebuild. He's a leader by voice and example. His presence is infectious, and the quieter players will fall in behind him.
Hoffman was seen as a leader by force, having a nasty streak that led him to be beloved by his teammates. Moving him to the side required a player who could do similar things, with a higher physical ceiling. That's what Booker's pedigree brings, and the team is already witnessing his ceiling as training camp gets rolling.
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This article originally appeared on Cowboys Wire: Dallas Cowboys player profile: No. 52 OT Tyler Booker
Category: Football
