What draft grades did Dallas Cowboys get for selecting Alabama OL Tyler Booker?
The Dallas Cowboys were expected to select an offensive playmaker, but instead opted for Tyler Booker, an offensive lineman, out of Alabama with their first-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Booker was a standout for the Crimson Tide, earning two All-SEC and All-American selections while also being a captain on the team.
How did experts grade the Cowboys’ first-round draft pick?
Chad Reuter, NFL.com
Dallas needed to replace a leader on the offensive line after Zack Martin’s retirement, and Booker fits that description.
Booker’s intelligence and toughness should help the Cowboys’ running game right away. He’s been a sturdy pass protector, too, as college defenders found it difficult to get around his wide frame.
Charles McDonald, Yahoo Sports
This is a bit of a surprising pick, but it’s a quality one. Tyler Smith and Tyler Booker should be one of the best, young guard duos in the league that will play a whole lot of power football for the Cowboys. Booker is a specific scheme fit, but this pick suggests that the Cowboys are going to be blowing defensive lines off the ball with a heavy run game and play action shots off of it. Surprising, but good.
Pete Prisco, CBS Sports
He is one of my favorite offensive linemen in this draft. He’s a mauler. He is a little limited in terms of athletic ability, but he works for the Cowboys as they try and get better up front. But why not receiver here?
Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz, USA Today
New coach Brian Schottenheimer spoke earlier this month of his belief in building a team outside in, with a focus on cornerbacks, wide receivers, defensive ends and offensive tackles. But this is Jerry Jones’ show, so the boss gets his road-grading offensive guard.
Rob Rang, FOX Sports
They say everything is bigger in Texas and that now applies again to their offensive line with Booker, among the most imposing players in this class. Booker’s sheer size (6-foot-5, 321 pounds with nearly 35-inch arms and 11 1/8-inch hands) allows him to simply latch and lockout opponents.
Brent Sobleski, Bleacher Report
Alabama’s Tyler Booker should never be compared to Zack Martin. The latter is an all-time great and future Hall of Famer.
With that said, the Dallas Cowboys made the right move by replacing the retired Martin with a tailor-made right guard who will immediately take over as the alpha in the room and a tone-setter on the field.
Staff, PFF.com
Zack Martin’s retirement in March left a hole on the Cowboys’ interior offensive line. Booker, the 48th-ranked prospect on the PFF Big Board, profiles as a bit of a reach but a talent who fills a definite need up front in Dallas.
Ian Valentino, 33rdteam.com
Tyler Booker is a good player but one of the worst athletes to be drafted this high in a long time. Dallas has traditionally nailed offensive line picks because it prioritizes elite athletes, so Booker is a major departure from that.
He’s a big risk and reach when the Cowboys had their pick of several other interior blockers or a playmaker.
Grade: D
Joseph Acosta, SB Nation
Man, this is a bit high for Booker. I love the power and ability to diagnose games up front, and with the Cowboys moving to more of a gap scheme team I can see the vision. But Booker is more of a phone booth player who isn’t super great in space--I’ll be curious to see how the offense limits his play in space. Outside of that, he’s a leader in the locker room and could help boost the run game.
Vinnie Iyer, Sporting News
The Cowboys saw venerable future Hall of Fame right guard Zack Martin retire in the offseason. Jerry Jones did not waste time replacing him, getting another early offensive line investment to match left tackle Tyler Guyton and left guard Tyler Smith. It’s not a flashy Cowboys pick that some expected, but it’s a savvy, safe move by Jones for a reliable plug-and-play long-term starter.
Gilberto Manzano, Matt Verderame, Sports Illustrated
A physical, big-bodied left guard at 6’ 5” and 321 pounds, Booker has tremendous strength to sustain blocks and drive defensive linemen out of rushing lanes. Booker won’t impress with his athleticism—his 1.96 10-yard split and 27-inch vertical jump at the combine leave a lot to be desired—and he’s an average puller.
Cory Woodroof, For The Win
The Cowboys really needed to replace future Hall of Famer Zack Martin, and Booker should slot in right away as a starter for Dallas. He’s a pretty rocksteady prospect, and Dallas has a great history of drafting offensive linemen. Sure, a pass-catcher would have been nice, but Booker should earn his Cowboys draft status.
This story was originally published April 25, 2025 at 10:57 AM.
