What Alabama's Tyler Booker Wants NFL Teams to Know About His Love for Football

INDIANAPOLIS — Tyler Booker sees his personal life as intertwined with his football life. He's wanted to be a NFL player since he was 9 years old, a goal which he's one step closer to achieving, participating in the NFL Scouting Combine this week in Indianapolis.

"Some of the lessons that you learn in football, are very transferrable to manhood," Booker said to reporters Saturday at the Combine. "In football, you're going to have to go through a lot of adversity. In life, you're going to have to go through a lot of adversity as well."

Playing football from a young age has shaped the person the Alabama offensive guard has become, he said. Booker's favorite part about football is that, just like in life, you have to rely on those around you. He's fell in love with the process of facing and then overcoming adversity with the teammates he crates relationships with.

"Everybody loves to play football when its easy, but who loves to play football when its hard? I feel like that's what separates good guys from the great guys."

As a mauler for the Crimson Tide, Booker was fueled by wanting to lay it all on the line for his teammates. The bond was especially strong for him this past season, with the group having to deal with a coaching change and losses that were difficult to swallow.

"Even though we had better success in previous years, this might be my favorite team that I played on, just because of how close knit we were, how tight we were on that team and I love everybody in that locker room."

Apr 13, 2024; Tuscaloosa, AL, USA; Alabama running back Jam Miller (26) gets a lift from Alabama offensive lineman Tyler Booker (52) after Miller scored a touchdown during the A-Day scrimmage at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary Cosby Jr.-Imagn Images | Gary Cosby Jr.-Imagn Images

Booker especially grew a close relationship with Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe, who made an effort to work with the offensive line. Milroe led pass protection meetings with the offensive line each day after practice.

Milroe's input helped the offensive line unit recognize even more pre-snap. Booker says Milroe taught him how potential blitz indicators, such as a defenders feet being even being a cue that he wouldn't be blitzing.

"Just seeing him step up even more than he did the year before, that was great for us," Booker said of Milroe. "That really helped us pick up a lot more blitzes. Him really taking charge of those meetings really helped us as an offensive line."

With Milroe's meetings assisting, Booker feels like his knowledge of the game has developed. The junior also incorporated that with communication, calling out information to the rest of the line pre-snap.

He feels he became especially skilled at recognizing and then calling out stunt blitzes, ones that are disguised pre-snap and designed to catch offensive linemen off guard. This recognition is something Booker feels will translate well to the NFL.

"That's due to my preparation throughout the week. I really take pride in how well I prepare for the games. And how I prepare for stunts because stunts really trickle down, so everybody does this stuff on Sunday [in the NFL], know its going down to the game plan for Saturdays in college."

Mar 1, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; University of Alabama offensive lineman Tyler Booker (OL03) answers questions at a press conference during the 2025 NFL Combine at Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Jacob Musselman-Imagn Images | Jacob Musselman-Imagn Images

The 20 year old has also worked to develop his voice as a leader, an aspect of his player makeup that he says NFL teams have been most interested in hearing about this week in individual meetings.

But the team captain for Alabama recognizes that before he can become a leader in the NFL, he'll need to earn the respect of his teammates and coaches. He compared coaching to player leadership in the sense that you have to know what works for specific players as both a coach and a leader. Not every player receives mentoring, nor coaching the same way.

"I have to earn the right to lead.. I'm not gonna walk in Day 1 and start telling a 33 year old with two kids, a wife and a mortgage what to do. That's just unrealistic. But I will learn from him, and learn from everyone else in the program to learn how I can contribute as a leader."

Booker embraces his role as a leader and loves when the team has to rely on him, which is why his favorite run blocking scheme is "duo." At Alabama, that meant he and left tackle with Kadyn Proctor would team up to take a defender out of the play.

"Whenever they call that play [duo], that's when they're like, 'Alright Book, go out there and be you. We're counting on you.' And I love when the team counts on me."

Duo runs incorporate two of Booker's favorite aspects of football with teammwork and brutal physicality — or as he called it, "legal assault." He's a punishing blocker that doesn't have much mercy for anyone who's lining up against him.

"What you see on play one is what you're going to see on play eight. I'm always trying to finish you. I'm always trying to put you on your back. I'm always trying to take a little bit of your soul away."

"I love football because, the brand of football I play, I make guys not love football anymore."

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