Tyler Booker

OVERVIEW

 Booker's blend of size, power, and athleticism makes him an intriguing prospect for NFL teams. His experience in Alabama's pro-style offense should ease his transition to the next level, where he projects as a potential day-one starter at guard. Booker's skill set is particularly well-suited for power-running schemes, where his ability to generate movement at the line of scrimmage can be fully utilized. While he may need some refinement in his technique, particularly in pass protection against elite NFL interior rushers, Booker's upside is undeniable. His combination of physical tools and football intelligence suggests he could develop into a cornerstone offensive lineman. Teams looking for a reliable, durable guard with the potential to dominate in the run game will find Booker an attractive option in the draft. As he continues to develop, Booker has the potential to become a Pro Bowl-caliber guard in the NFL. His experience against top-tier SEC competition and his rapid improvement trajectory bode well for his ability to adapt and excel at the pro level.

BACKGROUND

  Tyler Booker, a standout offensive guard from Alabama, has quickly made his mark in college football. Hailing from IMG Academy, Booker was a highly touted recruit who lived up to the hype during his time with the Crimson Tide. His journey from a four-star prospect to a first-team All-SEC performer showcases his rapid development and potential at the next level. Booker's freshman campaign in 2022 set the stage for his breakout sophomore season. Playing in 12 games and earning a start in the Sugar Bowl, he demonstrated his versatility by rotating at both guard spots. His efforts earned him a spot on the Freshman All-SEC Team and Freshman All-American honors from Pro Football Focus, foreshadowing his impact in the years to come. In 2023, Booker solidified his position as one of the premier offensive linemen in college football. Starting 12 games at left guard, he earned first-team All-SEC honors from the Associated Press and second-team recognition from conference coaches. His dominance was evident in his stats: 41 knockdown blocks, only 2.5 sacks allowed, and 4.5 pressures across 676 snaps.

 ANALYSIS

PROS

Exceptional size and frame at 6'5"" and 335 lbs, providing a formidable presence in the interior line Demonstrates impressive power at the point of attack, consistently moving defenders off the line of scrimmage Quick feet for his size, allowing him to pull effectively and reach the second level with ease Showcases excellent hand placement and punch timing, neutralizing pass rushers effectively Displays a high football IQ, recognizing and picking up stunts and blitzes with consistency Versatility to play both guard positions, adding value to NFL teams looking for flexible linemen Strong anchor in pass protection, rarely giving ground against bull rushes Finishes blocks with tenacity, consistently looking to pancake defenders and play through the whistle

 CONS

Can occasionally play with a high pad level, compromising leverage against shorter interior defenders May need to refine his technique in space, sometimes struggling to connect with smaller, quicker linebackers Could improve consistency in sustaining blocks through the entire play, especially on longer-developing runs Might face a learning curve adjusting to more complex NFL blocking schemes and protections Has room to improve lower body flexibility, which could enhance his ability to redirect in pass protection

HISTORY -- From college bio

 2024

One of the top interior lineman in the country ... named a first team All-American by both CBS Sports and USA Today ... earned second team All-America recognition from the AFCA, Associated Press, FWAA, The Sporting News and Walter Camp ... also garnered second-team All-America honors from ESPN.com and The Athletic ... selected as a first team All-SEC honoree by both the AP and the conference coaches ... a permanent team captain for the Crimson Tide ... started all 12 games, including 11 at left guard and one at left tackle ... recorded a team-high 87 knockdown blocks (7.3 per game) across 653 snaps of play ... named a preseason first team All-American by both Walter Camp and ESPN ... tabbed a preseason second team All-American by the AP and TSN along with CBS and USA Today ... also selected to watch lists for both the Lombardi Award and Outland Trophy to start the year ... named one of the Outland's Players of the Week following the win at Wisconsin ... earned SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week honors for his play against Missouri, LSU and Auburn ... named an offensive (power) player of the week by the Alabama coaches for his efforts against Western Kentucky, USF, Wisconsin, Missouri, LSU and Auburn. Western Kentucky: Helped the Tide rack up 600 yards of total offense on the night ... graded out at a 94 percent across his 33 snaps in the opener ... totaled a team-high five knockdown blocks and did not allow a sack, hurry or quarterback hit. USF: Moved outside to left tackle in the absence of Kadyn Proctor ... led the line with 12 knockdown blocks while grading out at a 90 percent in his 78 snaps of action. Wisconsin: Returned to his left guard post ... earned a 96 percent grade across his 47 snaps and recorded a team-high tying nine knockdown blocks ... did not allow a sack, hurry or quarterback hit on the day. Georgia: Helped Alabama's offense rack up 547 yards against the nation's top-ranked defense ... finished with a 94 percent grade across 70 snaps of action ... totaled five knockdowns while not allowing a sack, pressure or quarterback hurry. Vanderbilt: Earned a team-high 98 percent grade across his 46 snaps ... recorded six knockdown blocks and did not allow a sack, pressure or quarterback hurry. South Carolina: Played 63 snaps with six knockdown blocks ... graded out at an 89 percent. Tennessee: Finished with a 94 percent grade across 82 snaps ... recorded five knockdowns on the day. Missouri: Recorded a team-high 10 knockdowns and graded out at a 97 percent across his 59 snaps ... did not allow a sack on the day ... helped the Tide backs rack up 271 yards and four scores on only 37 rushes for a season-high 7.3 yards per carry. LSU: Anchored the offensive line unit in a dominant performance against the Tigers ... graded out at a 91 percent ... registered a team-high 11 knockdown blocks across 56 snaps and did not allow a sack, pressure or quarterback hit ... helped the Tide rack up 311 rushing yards and finish with 420 yards of total offense. Mercer: Earned a 93 percent grade across his 40 snaps of play ... recorded a team-best seven knockdowns and did not allow a sack, pressure or quarterback hit in just over a half of play. Oklahoma: Totaled six knockdowns across 62 snaps of action ... did not allow a sack, pressure or quarterback hit. Auburn: Graded out at a 90 percent across 79 snaps ... registered a team-high 11 knockdowns while not allowing a sack, pressure or quarterback hit.

2023

Earned a starting role at left guard in the fall ... earned first team All-SEC honors from the Associated Press ... garnered second team All-SEC recognition from the conference coaches ... started 13 games, missing only the USF game with back spasms ... named to the Outland Trophy Watch List, recognizing the top interior lineman in college football ... garnered preseason All-America honors from ESPN.com ... earned SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week recognition for his play against Ole Miss ... selected as an Alabama offensive player of the week by the Tide coaches following the Middle Tennessee and Ole Miss contests while the entire offensive line was recognized following the LSU game. Middle Tennessee: Recorded a career-high seven knockdown blocks ... helped the Tide rush for 226 yards while accounting for 431 yards of total offense and 56 points. Texas: Finished with two knockdown blocks in the top-15 matchup. Ole Miss: Totaled a team-high six knockdown blocks ... helped the Tide rush for 131 yards, including 105 yards from Jase McClellan who averaged 6.2 yards per carry with a touchdown ... was credited with half of a sack but did not allow any pressures, hits or have any missed assignments ... provided time for Jalen Milroe to throw for 225 yards and a score on 17-of-21 passing. Mississippi State: Opened holes for 193 rushing yards and 357 yards of total offense ... matched his career-high total with seven knockdown blocks ... did not allow a sack, hurry or quarterback hit ... did not miss an assignment on the night. Texas A&M: Helped spark the Alabama offense in the second half as the Tide scored 14 third-quarter points to take control of the game ... surrendered half of a sack and two pressures ... did not miss an assignment ... had two knockdown blocks. Arkansas: Opened holes for 177 rushing yards and provided time for another 238 through the air ... blocked for 83 yards from McClellan, 68 from Roydell Williams and 40 from Jam Miller ... accounted for two knockdown blocks ... did not allow a sack or quarterback hit ... surrendered two pressures. Tennessee: Led the Crimson Tide offensive line with six knockdown blocks ... opened holes for 138 rushing yards ... helped McClellan rush for 115 yards and a touchdown ... did not allow a sack, pressure or quarterback hit. LSU: Opened holes for a season-high 303 rushing yards gained with a net of 288 yards and six rushing touchdowns ... had two knockdown blocks ... did not allow a sack, pressure or quarterback hit ... provided time for Milroe to throw for 219 yards on 15-of-23 passing ... blocked for a school-record four rushing touchdowns by a quarterback and 155 total rushing yards for Milroe who finished with 374 total yards of offense ... the entire Alabama line was named offensive players of the week by the Crimson Tide coaching staff after UA compiling a season-high 507 yards. Kentucky: Had three knockdown blocks against the Wildcats to tie for the team lead ... did not allow a sack or a quarterback hit ... surrendered one pressure ... opened holes for 159 rushing yards and provided time for Milroe to throw for 234 yards and three touchdowns while scoring three more times on the ground. Chattanooga: Started and had one knockdown block in 36 snaps before the starters gave way at halftime ... helped Alabama roll up 574 yards of total offense including a season-high 315 rushing yards ... allowed one sack and was credited with half of a quarterback pressure ... opened holes for five Crimson Tide ball carriers to gain at least 42 yards rushing. Auburn: Opened holes for 451 yards of total offense in the Tide's 27-24 win over the Tigers on the Plains ... did not allow a sack, pressure or quarterback hit ... helped Alabama rush for 192 yards and average 4.4 yards per rush ... provided time for Milroe to throw for 259 yards and two touchdowns while rushing for 107 yards. Georgia: Turned in his highest-graded performance of the season ... earned recognition from Pro Football Focus as the top-rated guard in all games on conference championship weekend ... recorded three knockdown blocks ... allowed half a sack and missed one assignment ... did not surrender a quarterback hit or a pressure ... opened holes for 114 rushing yards against the Bulldogs' top-ranked defense.

2022

Established his ability to help the Alabama offensive front early in his career ... named to the Freshman All-SEC Team by the league coaches ... selected as a Freshman All-American by Pro Football Focus ... played in 12 games, rotating at both guard spots, before starting the Sugar Bowl at left guard ... a physical presence on the interior of the line who blocked for the No. 4 scoring offense (41.1 ppg), No. 11 total offense (477.1 ypg), No. 19 passing offense (281.6 ypg) and the No. 36 rushing attack (195.5 ypg) ... the UA front surrendered just 12 sacks among offensive linemen (one sack every 36.5 attempts) and only 22 total sacks on the season across 504 dropbacks for a 1.69 sacks per game average that finished fifth in the SEC ... helped an offensive front that opened holes for an average of 5.55 yards per carry, a total that ranked fourth nationally ... played 420 snaps during the 2022 campaign and had 30 knockdown blocks with one sack allowed, three pressures and one quarterback hit allowed ... selected as one of the offensive players of the week by the Alabama coaching staff for his output against Auburn. Utah State: Came off the bench at right guard in the season opener to record 20 snaps in his first action in the crimson and white ... added one knockdown block. Texas: Played one snap at guard in the Tide's come-from-behind 20-19 victory in Austin. ULM: Came into the game in the first half and received the most extensive playing time of his career with 31 snaps at guard ... recorded three knockdown blocks as the Tide rolled up 273 rushing yards and 509 total yards. Vanderbilt: Received even more playing time in the conference opener against the Commodores with 37 snaps off the bench ... recorded three knockdown blocks as the Tide rolled up 628 yards of total offense, including 228 on the ground and 400 through the air ... did not allow a sack, pressure or quarterback hit. Arkansas: Came off the bench early in the second half and rotated in at guard throughout the game ... tied for the team lead with five knockdown blocks ... helped opened holes for 317 rushing yards while providing time for 555 yards of total offense ... did not allow a sack, pressure or quarterback hit ... did not commit a penalty across his 31 snaps. Texas A&M: Played 34 snaps off the bench rotating in at both right guard and left guard ... led the team with five knockdown blocks ... opened holes for 286 rushing yards and provided time for three passing touchdowns ... allowed his first sack and pressure of the season with first-time starter Jalen Milroe at quarterback. Tennessee: Had one knockdown block and allowed one pressure in 28 snaps at guard against the Volunteers ... helped provide time for 455 passing yards and 567 yards of total offense. Mississippi State: Played 38 snaps off the bench at both guard spots ... had one knockdown block and allowed one quarterback hit in the win. Ole Miss: Played a career-best 56 snaps against the Rebels ... recorded two knockdown blocks and allowed only a single pressure as the Tide rallied for a 30-24 victory with 23 points in the game's final 30:08. Austin Peay: Opened holes and provided time for 527 yards of total offense that included a balanced effort with 263 rushing yards and 264 passing yards ... did not allow a sack, pressure or quarterback hit ... had three knockdown blocks as Jase McClellan rushed for a career-high 156 yards and two touchdowns. Auburn: Helped the Crimson Tide roll up 516 yards of total offense in a 49-27 victory ... had three knockdown blocks while not allowing a pressure, quarterback hit or sack ... opened holes for 173 rushing yards and 343 yards through the air ... came off the bench to earn 46 snaps at guard ... was part of an offensive line that was honored as offensive players of the week by the Alabama coaching staff. Kansas State: Made his first career start for the Crimson Tide, getting the nod at left guard ... produced a team-high four knockdown blocks as the Crimson Tide rolled up 496 yards of total offense, including 321 passing and 175 rushing ... did not allow a sack, pressure or hit on the quarterback ... provided time for Bryce oung to throw for 321 yards on just 15 completions and 22 attempts.

 High School and Personal Data

Versatile lineman who ranked as one of the top offensive line recruits in his class ... a five-star offensive tackle and the No. 10 player on the ESPN300 by ESPN.com ... also tabbed the No. 5 player in the Southeast Region, the No. 2 offensive tackle and third-ranked signee from Florida ... a five-star prospect and the 14th ranked player in the On300 rankings by On3 who is listed as the No. 2 offensive tackle and No. 3 player in the state ... ranked 28th nationally in the On3 Consensus and the No. 3 tackle ... the fifth-ranked offensive guard and No. 109 player on the Rivals250 according to Rivals.com ... the No. 8 offensive tackle by 247Sports and No. 7 on the 247Composite ... No. 59 in the Top247 and seventh in the Sunshine State ... tabbed as the 10th-ranked offensive tackle and fifth-ranked player from Florida by PrepStar ... No. 46 nationally and the No. 7 player from Florida by 247Sports ... selected to the Under Armour All-America Game ... coached by former NFL linebacker Thomas "Pepper" Johnson at IMG Academy ... chose Alabama over Florida, Georgia and Ohio State.