Why Tyler Booker 'Wasn't Surprised' To Be Selected No. 12 Overall by Cowboys

The former Alabama offensive guard was often projected by analysts to be picked late in the first round or later in the 2025 NFL Draft.

Apr 24, 2025; Green Bay, WI, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide offensive lineman Tyler Booker is selected by the Dallas Cowboys as the number twelve pick in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Former Alabama offensive guard Tyler Booker couldn't have been more excited to be selected by the Dallas Cowboys during the 2025 NFL Draft last Thursday.

He found a way to combine a hug and also carry fellow Crimson Tide draft prospect Jalen Milroe a few steps following the announcement from NFL commissioner Roger Goodell. Booker then sprinted towards the big stage in Green Bay, Wisconsin to officially begin the next stage of his football career.

Booker was selected No. 12 overall, a spot where most mock drafts didn't have him landing. The projections often favored him going late in the first round or even during Day 2. But despite the elation during Booker's celebration, he was confident with his official draft placement.

"No, I wasn't surprised that I went as high as I did," Booker told The Next Round on Monday morning. "It's something I have been working for my whole life. I know what I bring to a team, and what some of the 'experts' aren't privy to are how well I do in the classroom, how well I do on the board and my leadership and what I bring to the team."

His fellow Alabama teammates mentioned throughout 2024-25 that although there were four captains, Booker was the clear-cut ultimate leader both during practice and on game day. His abilities as a role model and his stout blocking on the field are big reasons why he was the first Crimson Tide prospect taken off the 2025 NFL Draft board.

Booker played left guard during his final year at Alabama, but during the interview on Monday, he was mostly referring to himself on the other side of the interior offensive line. He's expected to be replacing right guard Zack Martin, who retired during the offseason. Martin is a nine-time Pro Bowler, a seven-time First Team All-Pro and is very likely headed to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

"So the Cowboys didn't just draft a right guard that is going to come in and play after one of the greatest guards of all time," Booker said. "They also drafted a great leader, someone who is going to change their culture, someone who is going to improve their culture, improve their program and improve their team for years to come or however long the Lord sees fit."

Booker said that former Alabama head coach Nick Saban and 2021 Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Bryce Young contacted him during the draft with congratulatory messages. Booker explained that these two, plus former Crimson Tide players and captains like Will Anderson Jr. and Jordan Battle were teammates that he "based a lot of [his] leadership off the way they conducted themselves."

Booker was the sixth-heaviest player on the Crimson Tide entering the 2024 season as he weighed 325 pounds while standing at 6-foot-5. He was listed at 321 pounds at the NFL Combine, but is looking to continue trimming his weight ahead of training camp.

“Just taking some of the weight off my joints is going to allow me to be longer and play a little bit faster…I can definitely fit in some pants I couldn’t before,” Booker said.

Booker was one of seven former Alabama standouts to hear their name called this past weekend. Four others went undrafted, but three of them signed with teams giving them a shot.

Bama in the NFL:

Contract Info, Status of Former Alabama Crimson Tide Players
Active Crimson Tide Players by Team, Position
All-Time Alabama Crimson Tide Players in the NFL
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Team-by-Team History of Crimson Tide Players in the NFL

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