Four-Star 2022 Tackle Tyler Booker Knows He's an SEC Caliber Talent, 'Awfully Intrigued' by Playing for LSU
Four-star 2022 offensive tackle Tyler Booker feels he's made for the SEC. At 6-foot-4, 290 pounds and a rising junior, his size alone should make him very confident.
"I've always dreamed of playing in the SEC and I really feel like I'm an SEC player because of my aggressiveness," Booker said. "I believe I have what it takes and then some."
Currently the No. 13 overall player in the 2022 class and No. 1 offensive tackle according to 247Sports, Booker holds offers from SEC powerhouses, Georgia, LSU, Florida and Texas A&M as well as Florida State, Michigan and Oklahoma.
Right now, the schools showing the most interest in Booker are Georgia, Florida, Florida State, Texas A&M and LSU. Booker is a fan of the culture that coach Ed Orgeron is building in Baton Rouge, which is why he considers the Tigers to be "right up there."
"LSU is pretty high on the list of schools I'd like to go to because I like what coach Orgeron is doing with the team," Booker said. "I like him a lot. I like his character and you can tell that his players really play for him, they care about him. You can tell that by the way they play."
Booker was in the midst of planning a summer visit to LSU before the coronavirus outbreak as well as Big-10 schools like Penn State, Michigan and Michigan State.
The rising junior offensive tackle primarily communicates with LSU's defensive backs coach Corey Raymond, who gave Booker the LSU offer last September. He's also spoken briefly with offensive line coach James Cregg and Orgeron about the prospects of coming to Baton Rouge.
"They tell me they like the way I play and I feel like I am an SEC type of player," Booker said. "I play aggressive and through the whistle and they said they just love that about me. Coach Cregg actually came to one of our practices last season and he told me just how much he likes my work ethic."
That work ethic will come in handy during the extended offseason while school is out. Booker wants to improve in various areas of his all around game but the most important to him is making sure he's technically sound.
"This past season, I relied on my athleticism a lot so my technique would sometimes get sloppy throughout the game," Booker said. "I feel like if I can tighten my technique, my footwork and things like that, I'll be even better than what I was last year."
Being technically sound on the offensive line can also help Booker as he tries to improve on the opposite side of the ball, on the defensive line. Booker said schools are recruiting him for both offensive and defensive line but he doesn't feel he has enough tape on the defensive side of the ball, something he's hoping to change as a junior.
Booker has discussed with the LSU brass about the possibility of being a defensive lineman and the Tigers would be open to taking him on either side of the ball.
"I want to get a bunch of tape this year for coaches to go on and I'm open to playing either of those positions at the next level," Booker said.
While having no direct ties to LSU, Booker said the most enticing thing about potentially suiting up as a member of the Tigers would be that SEC atmosphere he'd get to experience week in and week out.
"LSU plays at the highest level in the SEC so that's awfully intriguing to me," Booker said.
